Inhio Est Abyssus, Amor Est Aether
by BlackNapalm
Summary: Choices in life are everything, for better or worse.  Will later contain vampirism and lemons in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**[Disclaimer: I own nothing.]**

**Running Out Of Time**

Sighing for what seemed to be the millionth time that night, Beast Boy starred gloomily over at his clock and watched as the minutes seemed to tick by so slowly it felt like an eternity. It had been several hours since he and the others had called it a day and headed off to bed; but the changeling remained wide awake with his mind racing with millions of thoughts, the notion of sleep borderline ridiculous. But even though his reasoning was working massive overtime, he couldn't put his finger on what exactly what could be causing his restlessness and keeping a well-deserved peaceful slumber just out of his reach. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to get up and come running to one of the other titans. They were asleep and it was he felt that it was his responsibility to fix his personal problems as best he could before he should see out assistance.

Slamming his head back against his pillow repeatedly, either in an attempt to knock himself unconscious or beat the thoughts out of his head so he could calm down and fall asleep naturally, the changeling's brain remained swamped with a multitude of distractions. But at least he was able to begin to work himself towards a more soothed state. Maybe all he needed now was some idea that would finish the job. Only problem with that, which of the million thoughts would do just that? Take the wrong path in his head and he could end up prolonging the torture he had already been suffering.

First he thought about his parents. They never got to their little boy grow up into a man and become someone that a city would end up depending on for their safety. They never had a chance to be proud of him. They never saw anything he had accomplished in his young life. And Beast Boy never got to see the pride in their eyes that he was sure they would have for him. That was starting to do more harm than good as the shape shifter began to feel like he missed out on a better life.

Quickly shifting his train of thought, he tried to think of videogames. He was good at that, a grandmaster of the controller. He had been able to trump almost every high score that Robin and Cyborg had been able to put up on the list and they had shown frustration over it almost every time they played. But after a little thought, the feeling of superiority drained from the accomplishment. So what if he was the best gamer in the tower, in the end he hadn't really earned real lasting bragging rights. New games came out all the time. Then he began to think about Terra.

That cleared out the din in his head and focused his mind like a laser, but not in the way that Beast Boy wanted. Before he could really think serious about something else, he was completely consumed with the memories of the charming blonde girl. It had been several years since the geomancer had ran away from him, swearing that he had betrayed her trust before he got a chance to tell her that Robin had figured everything out by himself. He thought about how destiny seemed to taunt him, bringing a seemingly perfect match for him, only to strip it all away in a matter of moments. The changeling wept. Why didn't he get a chance to save a relationship that appeared to have most of the elements to be successful? How come the first girl that wasn't part of the team that accepted him as he was, green skin and all, had to have severe trust issues that would drive her away in fear? Why wouldn't she come back, just for a moment so he could explain what had all happened so the two of them could have a fresh start? They could work out the issues as they went along.

As painful as those thoughts were, they accomplished what the changeling was after. The more the changeling wished for Terra to come back, the more he longed to stare deeply into her eyes, the more he cried. And as the tears streamed down his face faster and faster, the green skinned titan became inhumanly exhausted and eventually slipped into a deep irresistible slumber. But it was certainly far from being a peacefully dreamless sleep.

His mind wandering through the mists of his imagination, Beast Boy ended up finding himself surrounded by nothing but sand, stones, and high plateaus. It was very similar to the place that he and the other titans had first met Terra. This time around though, the shape shifter wasn't with the rest of the team. No, this time he was going to meet the geomancer for the "first time" all alone. But when the changeling got to the spot he was sure that he was going to meet up with the blonde-haired angel, there was absolutely nothing, not even a sign of life being in the area for miles around. It was that revelation that singlehandedly turned what could have been a wonderful dream into a heart wrenching nightmare. There was no girl to greet him with a warm embrace, to smile at him and gaze lovingly into his eyes, or give him a warm passionate kiss that would ignite a fire in his soul and rejuvenate his passion for life.

But just as the green-skinned hero was about to fall to his knees and break into tears, he heard a faint voice coming from over the ridge right in front of him. Scrapping up whatever hope he had, Beast Boy scrambled like a maniac, clawing his way up the rocky cliff wall. Once he managed to reach the top, he stared off in the direction he guessed the voice had come from. Nothing, still nothing more than a little dust riding on the light breeze. This time not giving up so easily, he turned around slowly until he saw a dark shadowy figure in the distance with only a deep chasm separating the two of them. How unfortunate for him to have expended most of his energy to climbing up the wrong cliff wall.

"Beast Boy!" the voice called out, the exact identity of the speaker obscured by the winds that were beginning to kick up. "Garfield, come to me. Be with me. I want you. I need you! Come to me now!"

"Terra? Terra is that you? Tell me it's you!" the changeling shouted back.

"Come. Don't hold back," came the response, never confirming or denying the identity but somewhat annoying the shape shifter.

Putting his irritation aside and taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Beast Boy focused his mind on morphing into an eagle. But much to his surprise and chagrin, nothing happened. It was just like it was when he was younger and with the Doom Patrol, no control over his abilities and completely at the mercy of frantic animal instincts. How was he going to make what should have been a simple task happen when he lacked control over his gift? He couldn't just lift off and fly like either Raven or Starfire. Never in his life time did the changeling carry any of the experimental equipment that Cyborg would have to amplify normal human abilities. And unlike Robin, he didn't have an arsenal of tools that would make simple any situation that he found himself in. So all Beast Boy could hope for, assuming that he didn't rest up or resist the call, was to regain control over his shape shifting ability or magically walk on the wind.

"Don't leave me…please don't leave me here alone," came the mysterious voice once more, this time with a tone desperation.

"I have to find another way. I can't fly," the flustered titan called back as he frantically looked about for a narrowing in the fissure or some sort of rock bridge he could use to cross.

"I need you to try…to fly. I...I think I'll die if you don't get to me soon." Death seemed to be gripping the mystery woman and slowly draining the life from her. Beast Boy watched as the silhouette suddenly collapsed to the ground, slowly forcing herself back to her feet so he could still see her.

Fearing what he might end up witnessing after he didn't take every measure to save the girl, the shape shifter took several paces back as he tried to pump himself up and get adrenaline to flow through his veins. But even as he did so, his mind started to work through some of the coincidences that had been surrounding the changeling's current scenario. He didn't find anyone where he had thought that he would see someone. When he would give up on himself, a voice that wasn't his own urged him to push himself. And when it all added up, the feeling that everything was just a dream dawned on the green skinned titan. While it did have some negative connotations such as a lack of self-confidence, it also gave some hope. Maybe if he was able to speak face to face with the stranger he would be told some vital information that would help him figure out why he had been in such a lousy mood. Or, since he hadn't been able to find a girl that showed any interest in him since Terra had left him, he would just enjoy an exotic, erotic moment with a charming and very desirable woman. Both possible end results were more than enough to entice the changeling to throw caution to the wind.

Believing that someone wonderful was waiting for him on the other side of his fabricated world, Beast Boy backed up to the edge he had first pulled himself up. He might not be able to change into whatever creature he imagined, but if this was truly all in his mind, then he had to have confidence in himself. Natural reasoning might try to hold him back and call him a fool to even consider doing what should be impossible, but Beast Boy had already made his decision. He was at the point of no return. There nobody to physically hold him down and prevent him from acting insane. He was going to know the truth and what secrets were buried deep in the subconscious of his mind.

"Gar…field…please…" The final call sounded like it was going to be too late for the changeling if he didn't act quickly now.

As the final desperate plea reached his ears, the green-skinned titan pushed his body as fast and as hard as it could possibly go, faster then what should have been possible. For a moment after taking an incredible leap in the hands of fate, he felt as though he had truly made the wrong choice and would end up paying for it drastically. But he hadn't. For his faith, the changeling landed safety on the opposite plateau. Dusting himself off as he got back to his feet, he very quickly started to walk over towards the female that still refused to identify herself. And once he was close enough, Beast Boy reached out his hand to turn the woman around and stare into the eyes of either wisdom or seduction.

"Hi!" the woman shrieked, speaking with all manners of malice, hatred, and evil. What Beast Boy noticed after getting over the initial shock frightened him so much that he started walking backwards, coming ever closer to the chasm that he had just managed to overcome. The woman's appearance was hardly that of an angel. Even a blind man would sense that she wasn't even remotely attractive. She was dressed in the most ragged clothing, soiled with dust and ashes. Warts and boils covered her from the top of her base of her neck to just above her ankles. Fresh, deep cuts and burned flesh coved a majority of her face and scalp. Her hair, what scarce amount there was still remaining on her head, was snow white and thinning by the second. And as for her hands, they were covered in blood with the tips of her fingers and nails appearing as though they had been trying to claw through a solid granite wall.

"You…you're…" Beast Boy managed to choke out before he found himself at a complete loss for words.

"Beauitiful?" the creature asked mockingly, striking a modeling pose. "No? I'm not what you wanted? I thought I was the most beautiful woman you'd ever seen. Don't you still want me…Garfield? Just one kiss is all I want."

"N-n-n-no way," the changeling stuttered.

"Then…what good are you? What use could I possible find for you? Death is all that awaits your kind." With those words, the horrific monstrosity reached out and pushed the frightened, still incapacitated titan off the edge and down into the darkness below.

"Someone…help!" the doomed titan cried out as the clouds above seemed to become smaller and smaller, the icy hands of death reached out to pull him into hell.

Just as he felt that his body was about to be impaled by the jagged stones, Beast Boy shot up in his bed in a cold sweat and out of breath. It took a few moments, but eventually he realized that he could once again shift to any animal on a whim. But as he reran his nightmare over and over again, something told the changeling that even though he wasn't told explicitly, there was a clue of a message mixed in with the horror. What it was exactly he had no idea, but he was sure that he would be able to get to the bottom of it all by himself. Maybe the final answer would rid him of the nightmares he had been having. Maybe the consistent image of a horrid woman was just a way his mind was tell him that holding onto wanting Terra back was a horrible idea. Three years of wishing and holding on to a dream was long enough. Terra hadn't come back yet, and as time went on, the chances of ever seeing her again was slim at best but getting worse every passing day. Then again, maybe his bad dreams were just caused by bad luck and just a little more effort with a little more time would result in giving him back his girl.

"Oh man," the changeling muttered to himself, "what time is it?" Drearily looking over to face the far side of his room, Beast Boy watched his cheap digital clock flashing midnight just like an old VCR would. Cyborg had tried to warn him time and time again that he would have to expect failures from that thing and invest a little money in getting something a lot more reliable. Now the green titan was going to pay for his slacking. With his curtains closed as well, he couldn't make a judgment by looking outside. He'd have to get up to find out. So instead, Beast Boy decided to rely on his keen sense of hearing. He didn't hear any footsteps which put him believe that he was in a range of being too early or too late. If he got up now and he was early, there was strong chance he was in for a rough day. On the other hand, if he was running late and refused to get his day started, it was highly likely Robin was going to tear into him for being lazy and irresponsible.

Finally deciding on taking the road he definitely didn't want to, Beast Boy slowed trudged his way to the shower to begin his day. All the time he was getting dressed, he wondered what it would be like to have Terra next to him day in and day out, but more extensively he wondered if his life was due for a change. Did he want to stay a titan for the rest of his life? Were the responsibilities of being a hero going to become too much to bear? After all, an entire city depending on you and your closest friends for protection was a great deal of pressure. What about his youthful dreams of becoming a famous actor? Or maybe he could take up a career working with animals, possibly a veterinarian? There were goals he could chase, accomplishments that were his for the taking. All that he needed to do was quit the team.

Pushing those thoughts out of his head as he got dressed, Beast Boy gathered his senses and towards the kitchen for an early breakfast or a late brunch. When he finally got to where he wanted to be, a touch of dismay came over him. It was early morning; he'd been right about that. But worse, only Robin was up. It wasn't that there was animosity between the two titans, they just didn't get along like they used to. The only time they were really able to put all they're personal differences aside was when they were on the battlefield.

"Hey Beast Boy," the boy wonder said looking up from his cereal bowl, "you're up early."

"Don't remind me," the changeling groaned. All he wanted for the moment was to have some food in his stomach and try to get a little more shut eye. "I'm going back to bed after I eat something."

"Whoa, hold up," Robin responded as he finished his own breakfast and started to clean up. "I want to get in a little early practice. Since you're up already, how about a little sparring match?"

"Why you want to fight me?" Beast Boy answered over his shoulder, feeling a little agitated from lack of sleep. "Why not Starfire when she shows up? You've done it in the past and she loves to help you out."

"I'll give you three reasons," the titan leader answered as he help up three fingers. "First, I want to start early, meaning right now. And you're here now. Second, in case you've forgotten, Star can get worked up and forget that it is just practice. The last time we fought, she nearly broke my jaw and I needed to get a couple of teeth replaced. And third, you're going to sleep maybe a half hour if you went back to bed. I mean you can, but I thought you would want to show me that you can actually beat me this time. Unless you don't think you can. I completely understand that you're too scared."

Even though Robin's mask covered his eyes to hide both identity and emotion, the grin on his face displayed the enjoyment he got from teasing the shape shifter. And it got on Beast Boy's nerves more and more every day. If he didn't take up the challenge, eventually the feeling of "what if" would take over and it would be all he could think about for hours. On the other hand, he really wasn't feeling awake and alert to compete against someone who had dedicated his life to martial arts. Either he fought, possibly winning but likely losing, or just forfeited before starting, a stipulation Robin would use later to get him into the ring.

"Not much of a choice," Beast Boy thought to himself. "You still like to pick on me, don't you?" he answered as he wondered what it would be like to see Robin staring up at the lights while he stood over him.

"It's all in fun. So?"

"So it makes me think you like being an ass."

"Maybe I do. So you in or not?"

"I'll see you there," reluctantly answered the shape shifter.

"Great. Meet you there in twenty minutes. Don't be late," Robin said as he headed for the door. "Oh, by the way, I promise I won't hurt you too badly." With that, he left, leaving the changeling to wonder what he had just gotten himself into.

Twenty minutes later, he was standing across the sparring mat from Robin, both titans with their gloves on and ready to go. This was going to a tough fight and the changeling knew it. If was going to have a chance of winning the match, he was going to need a foolproof strategy that relied more on out performing then brute force. If he wasn't careful, the boy wonder would take full advantage of his recklessness and exhaustion. But to outsmart someone at their own game was a tall order for the changeling. More than likely, he was going to have to just improvise a defense and hope for the best. Maybe lady luck would be on his side this time around.

"You ready?" Robin asked as he took center mat and set into a proper kung-fu stance.

"You mean are you ready to lose," the green-skinned titan answered.

"Only you know that," the titan leader snidely commented.

Feeling enraged and very irritated, the changeling threw all caution to the wind and went on an all-out offensive assault. Like a wild animal possessed by a horde of demons, he tossed punches with all the power and energy he could muster. If he was going to end up losing the fight, then so be it. But it wasn't going to be for a lack of trying. No way was he going to suffer defeat because he just stood still and let himself fail. Robin was going to have to make a real attempt, least that's what the changeling hoped would be the result.

But the chaotic attack plan was just what the boy wonder had been hoping for and why he had been so antagonizing. Disorder and confusion were how Robin became so successful. By keeping a level head while everyone else was losing theirs, he was able to take advantage of mistakes that people made. All he had to do was avoid the fists and wait for the perfect time to strike. The shape shifter had to learn a very valuable lesson; stop allowing Robin get under his skin.

"Perfect," Robin thought to himself as he parried and dodge the incoming fists. "Come on Beast Boy. Can't you hit me?"

"Stop it already," the shape shifter snapped.

"Ok." With that response, the boy wonder caught one of the incoming fists, maneuvered his hand around to take a firm hold of the wrist, and pulled the changeling into a solid kick to the chest, sending Beast Boy to the ground and ending the match. "Nice try, really. But you gotta work on it a little more."

"Yeah yeah," Beast Boy said staring up from the flood, reaching his hand out so Robin could help him back to his feet. Just as he wanted, the titan leader reached out his hand as a grateful victor. But still upset, the changeling wanted a little revenge for the taunts that led to his defeat. This time he took a firm hold of the boy wonder's wrist, and without warning he forced all his bodyweight back to the ground, taking Robin down with him.

"See ya later," the changeling said with a little smugness in his voice as he headed for the door. It might not have been fair, but it felt good to see Robin cover his face in slight embarrassment for being tricked like he had been. "Hi Raven. Bye Raven," he continued as he left the gym, passing the dark sorceress as he did so.

"Uh…bye," the reclusive titan responded, surprised to see her friend leaving the gym so early in the morning. Pausing for a moment to perhaps see why the changeling was in such a rush to leave, she caught Robin slowly getting to his feet to dust himself off. A small grin briefly crosser her face as her mind put together a possible scenario to explain what might have happened. She, Cyborg, and Starfire were all aware of the tension that had been building up between Beast Boy and Robin. They also knew that the boy wonder took advantage of his position on the team to bend situations to his advantage. It was a nice change of events to see karma come back and bite someone else in the ass.

Later that day, all the titans were kicking back taking it easy, doing whatever they wanted to do to relax as crime was being slow and being taken care of by the local authorities. For Cyborg, that meant trying to put some finishing touches on new refinements for his car and sketching up new diagrams for several ideas that he was eager to test out. Robin was taking refuge in his room, pouring over and trying to decipher countless clues Slade had left behind. Starfire scrambled around the kitchen, mixing random ingredients for yet another one of her million so-called puddings. Raven was letting herself become deeply engrossed in one of her many books, allowing herself to be almost completely unaware that her best friend was creating a ruckus looking for something she was calling "klogbork". And Beast Boy, well he finally managed to get the nap he wanted, passed out and sleeping silently on the sofa opposite side of Raven.

"Friend," Starfire called out from the kitchen, "would you like to enjoy my latest pudding?"

Raven, unaware that she was being talked to, didn't respond.

"Friend Raven," the Tameranean stated again, this time a little louder and standing right in front of the pale skinned titan, "would you like some pudding?"

"What kind of pudding?" the sorceress replied in her normal monotone, eyebrow raised as she looked up from the pages of her book.

"A pudding of romance," a wide smile on the alien princess' face.

A hint of suspicion and curiosity in her voice, Raven gave a straight forward defense to avoid consuming anything Starfire made. "Why do you think I'd be interested in something with that name?"

"You have yet to find someone that loves you deeply and wishes to be in your company. I am hoping that in consuming this, you will be able to find him."

"Starfire, I really appreciate your concern about my personal life, but really, I cannot let myself be involved in a romantic relationship. Friendship is the best I can do. It's too dangerous for me to let things go any farther than that. Out of everyone here, you should be the one that knows that the best. I know you just want to help me, but my answer is no. Sorry."

"I understand. You are correct. I hope that I did not upset you, friend," the orange-skinned replied as she looked over at the sleeping changeling. There was a chance that he might be open to trying something she had created, even if he made several jokes about her creations in the past. Over time, she learned that the changeling never intended to offend her, just amuse.

But before Starfire even had a chance to take a single step towards her other friend, the tower's alarm when off for the first time that day. Thirty seconds later, she and the others were in the meeting room where Robin was typing away to find out who was causing a problem and where it was. And since the day had been so dull for the titans, there was a little disappointment that they weren't going to be getting any real challenge from what was coming their way. It was just Dr. Light playing super villain, trying to help himself to a large sum of the bank's assets.

"Hey, Rae," Beast Boy said stifling a yawn as he rubbed one of his eyes, "want to take him solo? Bet he'll beg to go back to jail when you show up."

"Probably not going to work," Robin responded as he tried to zoom in on the villain's suit. "I think he made a few additions to his suit. He might have made something to feel safe from Raven. But don't worry; I'm sure you want to sit this out. We can take care of this without you."

"Fuck you," the changeling shot back as he downloaded the coordinates onto his communicator, the device doubling as a GPS device since Cyborg had modified them a few weeks back. Soon as he was able to, he was out the door, transformed into an hawk, and flying high in the sky. Not once did he think Robin was just taking another jab at him for opening his mouth. His mind was thinking that since he couldn't win a sparring match, there was something he had to prove. He was still a good protector, he was still a strong fighter, and he could take care of himself.

Just as the changeling arrived on location, Light was making his way out of the bank, struggling to drag a large sack of money.

"The titans," the mad scientist said chuckling to himself, "people think they'll always come to save the day. They're too unreliable to really depend on."

"Think again," Beast Boy shouted, dropping from the air. It was only from about eight feet up, but it added a dramatic flair the changeling enjoyed and spooked his foe.

"I don't think I will," Dr. Light quipped. But he soon realized that he had caught the changeling in a very bad mood. Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he was on his back with a pair of bull horns pointed in his face.

"Can't you see you suck at this," the changeling laughed as he reverted back from his animal form and firmly placed his boot on his defeated enemy's chest.

"I think you mean to say that you can't see anything," the master of light responded as he pointed his hand in the changeling's face. Before Beast Boy could close his eyes or turn away, a bright flash blinded him, forcing him to fall back and cover his face. "Really," the doctor said to himself as he gathered his stolen goods, "too unreliable."

"Stop right where you are," Robin shouted, arriving just as the shape shifter was starting to recover some of his sight.

"You titans have really lost your edge. I already showed your friend that he's no match for my latest creations. I'll just have to show you the same thing."

Without a response, the four remaining titans charge at the overly confident criminal. Dr. Light however didn't show any signs of panic as the titans might have expected. Instead he dropped his goods and fired a barrage of lasers, most of them missing by miles but a few managing to be on target. Luckily for Raven, her black magic was more than enough to protect her. But there was no way she was going to be able to save her friends. The boy wonder was struck several times in the chest, the strikes knocking the wind out of him. The Tamaranean was hit on both her shoulders and hurled back through a brick wall. And Cyborg was hit in the shins, tossing him off balance and sending him face first into the pavement.

"I knew that wouldn't be enough for you," Light stated as he raised his hand, "this was designed just for you." Before he had a chance to demonstrate what his new invention was capable of, several green tentacles wrapped around his wrists and wrenched his arms behind his back, nearly dislocating both shoulders and causing an extraordinarily amount of pain.

"Ok, ok, I give. You win, I lose. Please stop," the defeated cried, begging for mercy as his finger stretched out and frantically looked for a button to push.

"I don't believe you," Raven responded coldly, trying to probe into Light's mind. "What sort of idiots do you take us for?"

"Just the sort that can't keep me here," the criminally insane genius answered, his fingertips finding what they were searching for. Before any of the titans were able to react, a bright fully engulfed them and kept them all blinded for several minutes. When they could see clearly once more, Dr. Light had escaped. His bounty was still there, but there was no trace of his escape.

"Ok, what just happened? How'd he get away?" Beast Boy asked, changing back from being a squid, confusion etched in his face.

"You tell us," Robin responded, "you were the one that stopped him before he could use any more of his weapons on us."

"I…I…I don't know," the shape shifter stammered as he put a couple fingers to the side of his temple as he tried to replay the experience in his mind. He had felt Light's wrists firmly secured in his grasp, was blinded by the extreme illumination, and suddenly felt nothing but air. "I had him. I'm sure I did. I didn't let go. I swear I didn't let him go. You gotta believe me."

"It's ok," Cyborg cut in, trying to offer a little comfort in the situation. "He couldn't have gotten far."

Still, the look of bewilderment and frustration in the changeling's eyes sent a very clear message; he was feeling terrible about losing hold of someone that surrendered more often than not when he and the titans came in to save the day. Combining that failure, or what Beast Boy viewed as a failure, an edgy attitude from having trouble sleeping over the past several weeks, and a certain amount of discontent about his personal life, the green skinned titan just let the encouraging words go in one ear and out the other. He let himself get so engrossed in the recent past that he missed almost everything Robin was rambling about.

"…and I won't let that guy just get away like that. We're going to protect this city like we promised and put that asshole back in prison where he belongs. I don't want to hear any arguments. It's my call and that's final. Got it?" the boy wonder practically shouted.

"You need to calm down. He's not a murderer looking for his next victim. He's one step up from snatching purses and robbing gas stations," Raven countered in a very calm voice. "I can't believe that you or anyone else on the team would want to spend all their time running around the city looking for someone that has the technology to teleport himself out of danger. It's not worth the time or effort. When he shows his face again, we'll be ready for him. Until then, we wait."

"Damn," the changeling thought. He wanted to fix his ego and put Light away like Robin had been saying. But at the same time, he wished he had been the one to counter the boy wonder's shouting in such a calm manner. Like everyone else on the team, the changeling admired the control Raven had over her emotions. And the point she made held up. Wasting time on an endless search would just make things worse for him.

At that point, Cyborg jumped in. If he had been silent up until that moment, Beast Boy was unaware. But what he said actually managed to give the changeling a little hope, hope that he might be able fix his mistake and his ego. "If you could give me a little time, I might be able to figure out a few things about Light's tech. I can't replicate it without getting my hands on that suit, but I might be able to figure out where he had to make it. He could have burned out some circuits or drained the batteries in his suit with a trick like that. For all we know, that was a trial run."

"Why do you think that?" the green-skinned titan asked, finally speaking up for the first time.

"I dunno, just my instincts. But like I said, if we head back to the tower, I can try to figure it out. Raven's right; it's a waste of time to run around aimlessly."

"I said…" Robin started to say, trying to exercise his authority.

"Shut up," Starfire finished much to everyone's shock. The princess almost never cut the boy wonder off mid-sentence and so far hadn't raised her voice against him. But she definitely had the desired effect. Robin stopped and just stared at her. Slowly, the titans agreed to Cyborg's idea. There really wasn't another plan to compete with it and it did have a chance for success.

With a slightly lighter spirit, Beast Boy wondered if he would ever want to face Light or any other criminal alone ever again, assuming the opportunity ever presented itself again. Even as he rode back to the tower with the others in Cyborg's car, he let himself get carried away with his thoughts. He remembered that even though he had ruled out leaving the team, the idea came back to him more enticing then before. There was a world outside the tower and he just needed to go for it. Maybe losing his captive was the final sign he needed to show him that it was time for the superhero costume to be retired.

Just as soon as he thought that he was going to make an announcement that he was no longer going to be Beast Boy, just Garfield Logan, his ego stopped him. If he was going to leave, it wasn't going to be because of a bad day. Having personal issues that stopped him from being dedicated to the team was one thing. But quitting because of a failure, that decision would end up haunting him for the rest of his life and he knew it. No, he wasn't going to quit now, not just yet. A normal life would have to wait. His friends would appreciate that if they knew what he had been thinking, right?

The changeling's silence and increased social withdrawal on the way back to the tower didn't go unnoticed by the other titans. In fact, his recent conduct became what they were all talking about after the subject of Light's retreat had been put to rest. Even Raven, who would prefer to stay out of conversations that sounded like gossip rather then get involved with them, stated her own concerns in a way that didn't allow anyone to know how gravely worried she really was. As a whole, the team was losing a friend that they had depended on for years, a blow that could be as crippling as a death. They needed to get him back to the way he used to be: fun, energetic, dependable, and sometimes even comical.

They only differed on what way they should go about confronting the issue. All the titans really agreed on was that there wasn't much time to snap Beast Boy back to how he used to be. The second biggest concern however was what if they took the wrong approach. It could be devastating, making the changeling's condition worse then what it would have been.

Robin thought that it would be best to get it over with using a very direct approach. He wanted to sit Beast Boy down and either ask or demand an explanation as to why he was being reserved and isolated. The other titans probably wouldn't be actually involved, just there to make sure he didn't step over the line and make things worse than they already were. None of the others wanted to go along with the idea. The boy wonder was hard to restrain when he got worked up.

Cyborg had a fairly similar idea. He thought that since he and the changeling had been like brothers most of the time that they had worked together, he could use that friendship to reach out to his buddy. It would definitely be a more private and comfortable approach. The changeling wouldn't feel pressured and loosen up little by little until he confessed his problems to someone he knew he could trust.

Starfire on the other hand wondered if perhaps the anniversary of a tragedy in the green titan's life was coming around soon. Or maybe he had received some bad news about someone in his past, and he wasn't sure on how he was going handle it. She didn't really know all that much about the changeling's life before the team had been formed years ago. Thus, upon considering those things, she thought a traditional Tameranean buffet could cheer the changeling up just enough for him to show a crack in his defenses. Eventually she or one of the other titans could come in help their friend put himself back together when he was ready.

As for Raven, she didn't think that she would be the right person to try prying into the shape shifter's personal problems. Sure, she had a knack for giving some of the best advice and what was probably the best way to go about implementing it. The titans had even come to rely on her for the unique talent. Still, when it all came down to it, they had always come to her when they felt they had no other ideas of their own. She wasn't the one to see them out. Since the team began, it had always been that way. And while she would never allow the others to know it, she dealt with the concern that she would misguide her friends on a near constant basis.

As it was, the dark sorceress wasn't too worried on whether or not she would be able to figure out what the root of the changeling's problem was. Almost every time Beast Boy had come to her for help, he poured out his soul before she got a chance to ask him. And a simple solution soon followed and resolved everything. Balance within the team was restored and one more problem was put to rest. With history like that, the real problem was that her green-skinned friend was keeping it to himself instead of letting people know what was bothering him. Actually, most of the apprehension the titan felt was from trying so desperately to keep a secret of her own completely unknown to her friends.

From the moment the titans had met, officially formed, and began to work together, Raven felt that emotions were starting to become a little more restless and more difficult to control. The aspect of her happiness was entertained by the shape shifters constant attempts at being humorous. Courage admired him as soon as it had become aware the changeling had spent the majority of his life using his gift to make the world a better place. The timid and fearful part of the dark sorceress was comforted by the excessive kindness and seemingly endless forgiveness the shape shifter had, perhaps to take focus off his unusual skin color. The other aspects of the empathetic titan also had their own reasons for having interest in Beast Boy. The only emotion that wanted absolutely nothing to do green skinned was rage and hatred. That part of Raven loathed and despised all living things, but especially Beast Boy. And since it would quickly take control of the pale skinned titan's dark magic as soon as it had a chance, Raven vowed that she would never allow herself to get into a situation where she might let her secret be known. This was one of those moments.

What could happen if she did take the initiative to help her troubled friend this time around? What if she let down her guard for just a moment? Would her confession just make matters worse for the changeling? Would it end up driving him further away from where she wanted him to be? Could he accept what she said and feel the same way about her? Or would he laugh it off, thinking that she was just playing with him and tell her that they had been and always would be "just friends"? Or what if they did manage to hit it off, and as they were beginning to make something wonderful happen, Terra actually showed up again? What would happen then? Would she have to feel her heart break, the thing she had tried to avoid all her life, because the changeling's original love interest came back into the picture? Or would he stay with her still? The friendship they had now could never come back. Every time she would see him, she would only be able to feel envy for Terra, rage against Beast Boy, and a never ending sense of self-pity for losing the boy she loved after she had taken such a drastic risk to have him.

But what if they carried on together, even if the geomancer came back? Would they stay at the tower with the rest of the titans? Would they leave the team and even the city she had learned to call home? Could that new chapter in her life be a sign for all the others that times had changed and they were all to go their separate ways? So many questions, and even more remained to be wondered. A simple choice, but a life altering one, lay in front of Raven. As much as she wanted to, in this circumstance, toss what she had learned all her life out the window, she knew that couldn't do anything to risk the safety of her friends. Perhaps that was the greatest way she could show the shape shifter she loved him, the sacrifice of her personal life for his well-being and save him from her. A single tear stained her cheek as she promised herself that that was the choice to make. Quickly and discretely, she concealed the fact that she ever cried.

"Ok, we'll have to think about this later," Robin said as Cyborg parked his car in the garage, "right now we have to see if we can find Light and put him away. Me and Cy will call you guys when we figure out something important."

As the boy wonder and Cyborg slowly started getting to work on Dr. Light's mysterious escape and sought out a way to figure it all out, Raven took one last look at Beast Boy before he walked off to be by himself. Saving him couldn't wait. If nothing was down this night, if nobody intervened right away, if a radical change in the shape shifter's behavior didn't suddenly dawn on him, he would become completely lost to the team. But most importantly, Beast Boy would be lost to her…forever.

* * *

_Author's Corner_

_I know I haven't written in a long time and am probably out of practice. However, I do still enjoy coming up with stories from time to time so I have decided to write this one out and post it. If you enjoy it, lemme know. If you hate it, lemme know. I only request that if you do make a review, make it constructive. _

_I will try to post something at least every two weeks or so. But please be patient if I'm slow about doing it. I am a perfectionist and refuse to post anything that I wouldn't enjoy reading myself._


	2. Chapter 2

While Robin worked diligently on figuring out exactly how Light could escape and where he might be hiding, Cyborg couldn't focus his efforts to the task. He was growing more and more concerned about his friend's behavior by the minute. He and Beast Boy had spent a lot of their free time together in the past. Whether it was playing games, watching television and movies, or pulling mischievous pranks on the other titans, the most memorable and entertaining moments had been with his little green friend. Now those days seemed to be so far gone it was like they had never really happened at all. He wanted them back, to remember what they were like and re-experience them. And he was willing to go to just about any lengths to do just that.

The first thing he thought about doing to loosen up his grief-stricken friend was to convince him to come out of his room and take a seat behind the steering wheel of the titan's prime source of transportation. There were few other things that make Cyborg forget his problems and clear his mind like driving down the open highway at a hundred miles an hour. Perhaps the same would hold true for the changeling. The two friends could cruise down the road, listen to music, and talking about whatever subject came to mind. Eventually it would have to turn to how Beast Boy had been so wary of the others, isolating himself more and more. And since they really wouldn't really be anywhere other than the middle of nowhere, it would be either put up or shut up.

But that consideration had several elementals that didn't sit too well with Cyborg. First was putting someone else behind the wheel of his car. Nobody was ever allowed to drive his baby other than him. As it was one of his most prized possessions, he wanted to do everything he could do to protect it. Strange since he almost had the vehicle parked within twenty feet of an explosion or some supernatural destructive force. Secondly, he wasn't even sure if the changeling would want to talk while he listened to the radio and watched the miles go by. On more than one occasion, it seemed like the changeling could ignore a nuclear explosion or a battalion of soldiers marching behind him when he had headphones on. And third, there was the concept of entrapment. Taking Beast Boy out and ending up in the middle of nowhere had no malicious intent; it was just for the privacy. But since the shape shifter was in an odd frame of mind, who knew how he might take it. That alone wasn't worth the risk.

Second method that Cyborg thought about was doing something that Beast Boy always enjoyed, playing video games and watching movies all night while drinking gallons of soda and snacking on anything he could get his hands on. Between staying up all night having a great time and overwhelming his body with sugar, the changeling was sure to be in a terrific mood. And Beast Boy could almost never keep his mouth closed when he was happy. Problem with trying to put the shape shifter in a better mood was trying to get him talking about his problems. Why bother to get someone in a good disposition only to remind them that they had been acting like a jackass and getting on everyone's nerves? Probably make things worse once Beast Boy realized that he was sleep deprived and the whole thing had been an effort to butter him up.

"You have any other ideas?" Robin asked, pulling Cyborg from his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I was wondering if you come up with any other places that might have technology Light could have used to make his suit work like it did."

"Uh…" the half-mechanical titan responded, his mind coming back to earth.

"Are you ok? You seem distracted."

"I'm worried about BB. It's doesn't feel right to let him keep acting like this. If he gets any worse, I'm wondering if he'll need professional help. I don't want to see him locked up taking pills." Cyborg's tone showed how serious he thought the possibility was.

"I don't either. I know everyone thinks that I don't care, but he's part of the team. And I need my team to be the best it can be. And figuring this out is how I think I can help him out. "

"Then would you mind if I went and talked to him? You're doing fine on your own."

"Go ahead. No reason for you to try helping me if you can't concentrate."

Meanwhile, Beast Boy was lying in his bathtub, enjoying the music playing over his stereo while the warm water slowly soothed him into a state of serenity. But the euphoria couldn't last very long; doing nothing meant all that he could do was think. Although it was probably not the best topic to choose, trying to figure out where Dr. Light had gone was at the top of his list. Of course he wouldn't come up with the hows or wheres like Robin or Cyborg could, but he would consider places that nobody else would think of. Out of all the titans, the changeling definitely thought with the most random imagination.

Before the changeling really got into thinking about where Light could have gone, he wondered if the escape artist hadn't really gone anywhere at all. Quite obviously he was gone, but that was because none of the titans could see him. And that was exactly Beast Boy's point. What if that's all it really was? Rather than actually going somewhere, the man had figured out a way to faze himself into another form of life. Maybe the science fiction movies had rotted his brain. The theory was completely ridiculous, even borderline stupid. But that was exactly the shape shifter's point. None of his friends would ever consider openly suggesting so preposterous. Even if the odds of his theory being right were less than a snowball's chance in hell, it felt pretty good to come up with something original.

Getting out of the tub and drying off, the changeling concentrated on his idea. The longer he could hold onto it, the better. Little did he know how quickly that positive feeling would be stripped away.

"BB," Cyborg yelled as he knocked on the shape shifter's door, "you in there?"

"…yeah, yeah…" the changeling answered as he pulled his shirt on and answered his door. "What's up?" he asked in a surprisingly composed tone.

Shocked, Cyborg didn't know what to say now. He was sure that Beast Boy was going to be scowling at him when he answered the door and he'd start by calming him down. But now, there was the old familiar smile. Had the poor attitude just disappeared in a few hours? Had months of isolation suddenly come to an end? What could have possibly happened to cause this radical change?

"So…what's up?" the green-skinned titan asked breaking the silence.

"Oh…I was just wondering if you were feeling ok. You left as soon as we got back."

"Me? I'm fine. See…happy," Beast Boy said with an exaggerated smile, which he instantly regretted. His eyes told the hidden truth. Under his mascaraed, he felt as miserable as ever. Now he just hoped that his lie would buy him a little time. Even if he had ignored everything that was talked about on the way back to the tower, his instincts told him that his friends were too concerned to stand to the side and watch him. And as much as he still wanted to avoid confrontation, it was now too late to evade.

"Beast Boy, I know you're lying to me," Cyborg replied matter-of-factly. Putting his hand up in the doorjamb, he made sure that his little brother wouldn't have the option to hide like he had been. "Everyone's worried about you. Can't you see that you're hurting the team?"

"Is that why you're here? The team?"

"BB…"

"Leave me alone. Can you do that? Can you just leave me the fuck alone? I want to be alone!" the changeling shouted as he clenched his hands at his side.

"Enough already," Cyborg shot back, raising his voice like he never had before. "You keep acting like a spoiled brat, doing whatever you want, to whoever you want, and not care about anything. You run off trying to show off, and when it turns to shit, you stomp off like it's everyone else's fault that things didn't work out. I just wanted to talk to you, but all you care about is yourself. So either you act your age or get the hell out of here. And if you walk out, I can tell you right now we won't let you come back. We're sick of it. So what's it going to be? Huh? You tell me right now what you're going to do 'cause this shit ends right here, right now."

Beast Boy was caught completely off guard. He figured that if he lashed out, he'd be left alone. Plus, Cyborg was never the kind of person that lost his temper without any warning. Now he had received the ultimate ultimatum from one of the people he respected the most. He knew that he was truly at a crossroads. Either he stuck to his guns, tried to take care of everything himself and end up wandering the streets, or he let his friends contribute to his personal wellbeing.

"I…" the changeling couldn't find the words he wanted to say as he felt warm tears starting to well up in his eyes. He knew that he couldn't defend the way he had been acting or the way he lashed out. It had just hurt so much to keep it buried inside that he became an emotional ticking time bomb.

"Look, BB," the titanium titan cut in using a much softer, sympathetic tone, "I didn't want to yell at you or say that but I also don't want things to keep going on like this. You can't keep hiding like this. I don't want to see you leave. Nobody does. We all care about you. We're your friends. It's why I'm here talking to you. If none of us cared, I wouldn't have bothered to be here right now talking to you. What's going on, BB? Talk to me."

"You wouldn't understand," the changeling said finding his voice as he found a nearby chair to sit in. "Nobody knows what it feels like. It's why I didn't ask for your help. You just don't know what it feels like."

"I don't know what exactly?"

"You don't know what it's like to…to…" Beast Boy couldn't hold back the tears that he tried not to show his friends.

"Take your time, BB. I'll stay here as long as you need me to. This is more important than anything else I have to do."

Between sobs the shape shifter managed to finish his answer. "To care…about… about someone…so much…so fucking much and they just go away…just like that," Beast Boy snapped his fingers as he choked out the last three words as he remembered the moment he watch the last strand of blond disappear from his sight.

For a split second, Cyborg found himself unable to follow what his comrade had hesitantly confessed. It definitely sounded like he was trying to imply Terra, but she had been gone for so long and the changeling never talked about her that he couldn't truly be sure. It didn't seem like a logical consideration. Yet time had demonstrated time and time again that Beast Boy used a completely different thought process than a typical human being. Maybe he was on the right track. It was defiantly worth the risk of asking since the situation had come to an impasse.

"Are you talking about Terra?" the half metal titan asked hesitantly.

The changeling nodded. "Yeah…"

Now Cyborg knew that he had a certain connection with his friend. He was going to have to exploit that with some quick thinking and smooth talking to start his friend on a road to recovery. And he knew that he wasn't going to be able to fix years of emotional turmoil over night. Maybe he if could persuade his little green friend to come out of his room and spend more time with the team, they would come up with ideas and convince him that the geomancer he longed for was definitely not worth half the heartbreak he suffered.

"BB, can I tell you something? I know you could take it the wrong way, so I want you to know that I don't mean for it to upset you."

"I don't think you could make me feel any worse, Vic. Say whatever."

"I think…" he paused before taking a deep breath and tried again. "I think Terra is the worst thing to happen to you."

"How can you say that?" the changeling said in shock and horror. He had long fantasized what life would be like with the blond at his side. To hear that the one person he thought of as family considered his crush a terrible affliction to his life was more then he wanted to hear. But he had been warned so he forced himself to hold his tongue.

"I know you liked her, but she doesn't care about you the same way. Think about it. She didn't give you chance to say anything in your defense. She ran away before she knew the full story. She doesn't write to you. Never calls you. It wouldn't be hard for her to contact you. How long has it been? Three years? In all that time, have you heard a word from her? Do you even know if she's still alive?"

"Three years, four months, two weeks, and three days," the changeling stated absentmindedly, surprising his friend with such a specific answer.

"How…how did you remember that?"

"I'm not as stupid as you think," the changeling answered. "I remember a lot more than people give me credit for."

Now this was something that Cyborg had never thought to consider. For as long as he knew the changeling, not once had he displayed any sort mental acuity close to what he had just demonstrated. But then again, Beast Boy had said in the past that one of his dreams was to be an actor when he grew up. He had never achieved that dream, always being sidetracked by the next nut that wanted to show they could take down the titans. Perhaps the shape shifter still held to the idea of having a different life then what had been given to him. Maybe he had used the time with his friends to hone his skills by making them think that he was more immature then he really was. But then the question was raised; how much had been real and what had been an act? That quandary however, would have to wait for another day. Right now, take care of the Terra problem.

"I think it's time for you to move on," the titanium titan stated flatly as he got his mind back on subject. "If Terra had come back by now, I'd say you should go for it. The two of you looked really happy together. But like I said, she's probably moved on and you should do the same."

"I…I've tried to Vic. Really, I've tied as hard as I can. I just don't think it's possible for me to forget her. And I still don't think you know what it's like to feel like this."

"First," Cyborg answered, trying to remain sympathetic without getting carried away by his own unwanted memories, "I never said you should forget her. I know you can't and I don't think you should try to. I said you need to move on. And second, I might be the only other person on the team that knows what it's like to feel abandoned by a girl you like."

This time it was Beast Boy doing the wondering. Cyborg had never really talked about anything other than his car and how he wanted to make it into the perfect mix of strength and speed. By default, it was assumed that he was fully committed to his job, creating and upgrading anything he could get his hands on. Obviously he had been wrong with his assumption. Games, pranks, and arguing what did and didn't belong on top of a pizza weren't the only other interests Cyborg had.

"What do you mean you're the only other person on the team that knows what it's like to feel like I do? How could you possibly know? You've never had a girlfriend."

"You never asked me if I did," Victor answered. "And I don't talk about it because the past is the past. I lost contact with her years ago."

"What happened? I mean if you don't mind telling me."

"I'll tell you, but don't tell anyone else. It's history and I don't need to deal with it anymore. Promise me?"

"I promise. Cross my heart," the green titan answered as he made an 'x' over his heart.

"Alright, it happened to me in back high school. I met this nice girl: cute body, a great smile, and pretty smart too. Anyhow, we hit it off and in a few weeks we were inseparable. We did almost everything together. She was even at all my football games even though she really didn't like sports."

"She sounds great," Beast Boy cut in as he though how it was almost identical to how he and Terra had been. Almost too identical, but he chose to it and chalked it up to coincidence. With as many people that were in the world and how many relationships started and finished, chances were good enough to accept the possibility. "So what happened?"

"This is what happened," Cyborg answered as he held out his cold metal hands. "I was in the accident that ended up killing my mom and forced my dad to put this stuff on me to keep me from dying too. After that happened, she had nothing to do with me. She wouldn't hang around me or even make eye contact with me. I tried to get her to give me a chance but it ended up being a waste of time. I know it's not just like what happened with you and Terra. But my point is that some things are just not meant to happen."

While the changeling had listened intently to the whole story, the last eight words were the ones that struck him the hardest. Destiny was something that he had wrestled with his entire life. Was it fate or his fault that he had contracted a deadly disease that caused his parents to use an experimental drug to save his life? Could he have saved his parents like he always thought he could have or were their deaths unavoidable? And most importantly now, was Terra going to leave him regardless of what had happened? No, he couldn't accept that. His life was his to control; unknown forces were not going to control what happened to him.

"How'd you do it, Vic?" the Beast Boy asked as he reasoned to himself that the only reason that it wasn't going to happen was because Terra had died. Destiny didn't exist. It was just bad luck that death had taken the parents. So why not take his girlfriend too?

"I focused more on my academics, tried to do things that I hadn't been doing. It was hard but it paid off. Why?"

"'Cause everything I do now reminds me of Terra. I don't know what to do. I was thinking that since you did it before, maybe you would?"

Contemplating to himself for what seemed like forever, Cyborg tried to come up with some ideas that would interest his friend, make him spend more time with the rest of the team, and of course was different than anything Beast Boy had done before. But all he could really come up with at the moment was to get the changeling to work with him in his workshop. It didn't seem like a good choice, but then again Beast Boy did show that he was smarter then he acted. Perhaps his interests were more diverse as well. It might be worth a shot. A new hobby could end up being found. At the very least, there would be an extra set of hands to take care of the more monotonous tasks. Interest would likely have to be found in conversation and spending time with his friends. It was worth offering as an idea.

"How about you work with me in my shop? You know, make things."

"I'm not good at that Vic. You know that. I don't know anything about what you do. It's all out there to me," Beast Boy answered as he looked at the ceiling and made gestures with his hands.

"You said you're smarter then you acted. So give it a shot. You might like it and even learn something. And hey," Cyborg said trying to add a little incentive, "maybe I'll even let you drive my car sometime."

"Really?" the spark in the shape shifter's eyes came back for the first time in months. He had dreamt that one day he'd be behind the wheel of the T-car. To hear that it might actually be the first person other than the car's creator to take control of the machine, that was incredible. It didn't occur to him that it might just be some sort of enticement to get him to stop being a recluse. But it didn't matter. He was in.

About a half hour later, Cyborg almost finished getting everything arranged and prepared for the second workstation Beast Boy would be using. There weren't a great deal of tools, but that was to make sure that there wasn't an overload of information but enough to make a challenge. To meet those ends, Cyborg had written down explanations and descriptions for each piece of equipment that he expected the changeling to use in coming days and possibly months in very simple language. Once a basic knowledge had been established, he would offer a little hands-on experience. Hopefully the whole process wouldn't be too boring for the thrill-seeking shape shifter and get his mind off of Terra entirely. And maybe, just maybe, it would be as fun as it could be enriching.

"Ok," Cyborg thought to himself as he finished everything up for his friend's arrival, "now I just hope I didn't mess this up."

"Hey, Cy," Robin said cutting into Victor's thoughts, "is Beast Boy coming down? I thought you said he was but I still haven't seen him."

"I told him that I'd need to get things set up for him before he started."

"That was an hour ago. Are you sure you got through to him? Maybe I should go talk to him."

"Give him some time, Robin. He was going to clean his room up a little before he got down here."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because I told him I needed time to get ready and maybe if he cleaned his room and changed his environment a little, it wouldn't remind him of Terra. You know, get a different look going so he's not living in the past."

"Terra," Robin stated with surprise. "What brought her up?"

"Shit," Cyborg thought to himself. He knew that he should have kept his conversation with the changeling in confidence. The boy wonder could have a big mouth when he wanted to look into something. And this was one of those times that he could. If Beast Boy thought that he had somehow been betrayed by the slipup, all of the effort would have been for nothing. "Look, don't say anything about her. I didn't mean to tell you and if he thinks I messed things up, it could make everything a whole lot worse. And I won't be able to get through to him next time. Promise me you won't interrogate him about her."

"Ok, ok," the titan leader said putting his hands up in surrender, "you don't need to get defensive. I get your point."

"I know how you can be," the titanium titan answered as he took a seat and wait for Beast Boy. "Go figure out what Slade is up to."

"Sure, whatever," Robin said as he turned to leave. "Oh, by the way, if Beast Boy asks, I have nothing on what happened with Light. We'll probably have to wait and see if he shows up again."

"I tell him if he asks."

About five minutes after the boy wonder walked away, the Beast Boy showed up with visions of making things that would make anyone jealous. He had no idea how long it could be before he would get a chance to use any tool much less help build anything. But at least he could try moving on like Cyborg had suggested.

"So what we making?" the changeling asked as he hopped up on a stool. "Wait. Don't tell me. We are making a …rocket powered moped that turns into a plane."

"Uh…no," Cyborg answered as he wondered where that idea had been pulled from.

"OK, bad guess. We're making…"

"You're going to study what I have written for each tool in front of you."

"Yes! I'm going to…wait, what! You told me I'd be making stuff with you," the shape shifter said feeling deflated.

"I know. And I'm not going to break that promise but you need to know how to use some of the tools before you make anything, get used to working with your hands. You said it yourself; you don't really know how to make anything. This will get you acclimated with what you're going to be using. This is a process. You're going to have to take your time and learn a few things. Don't rush and don't get yourself frustrated. Ok?"

"Alright…I guess I've got nothing to lose." Taking a deep breath and hoping that it would work out for him in the end, the changeling dove into the task set before him.

Several months later, Beast Boy was still spending a fair amount of his free time in the workshop. But for all that he was worth, he couldn't get his brain to absorb all the information that Cyborg had written down for him to learn. Still, it wasn't as upsetting as he had originally thought it would be. Rather than letting the failure get to him, he was more determined to make the most of his presence, to be as helpful as possibly while making sure he didn't interfere. And while he never got the hang of using the most tools either, he could hand them off and return them to their assigned location, cutting the time Cyborg needed to finish his own set of tasks. That was where the reward came in. The changeling could see how much he was appreciated and it made him feel like he had been such an idiot to overlook the support he needed all along. Terra, while he still missed her, no longer had a firm grip on his psyche. And that was far more important than ever getting to take the car out for a spin around the block a couple of times.

However, as the days went on and it seemed like he was getting really set in a routine; the changeling found himself wanting to do something else. Spending time with his best friend was great and all, but there had to be something new to take up his time. The occasional things that he did with Robin and Starfire from time to time didn't lead him to believe that they would have anything he would be interest in anything suggested. The boy wonder would just do something that made him think that he was a titan first and nothing else should matter to him. Starfire on the other hand was into things that were 'too girly or pink' for his comfort. Doing something with Raven never came to his mind. The dark sorceress always gave him the impression that she would rather have her peace and solitude then do something fun with him. Plus, he thought he'd end up annoying her more than she would help him.

So while he was handing off tools one afternoon, Beast Boy decided that he couldn't hide his discontent any longer. He just wanted to say it in a way that wouldn't offend Cyborg. After all, he had done so much to help him forget what a jerk he had been and help him move on with his life. What were the words that would show that he was very grateful but just needed to do something new and hopefully exciting? But as hard as he tried, his brain couldn't string the right words together.

"I'm bored," the changeling stated bluntly once Cyborg had slid himself under his car change the oil. If he had said it wrong and upset his friend, at least he now had time to run.

"I was wondering how long it would be before you said something," came a much calmer response then Beast Boy had expected.

"I sorry I just…wait…you knew?"

"Grass stain," the armored titan said as he slid out from under his car and sat up, "I knew from day one that you weren't doing something you liked. You just did this to help make yourself feel better. And it looks like it worked. That's all I was after. Go, have fun. I'm fine with you getting out of here. Better to be doing something you want to do then sit around here and get in my way."

"Actually I was just thinking maybe you'd have another idea of something I could do so I don't…you know, start moping around again."

"I really can't see you making that mistake again. But if you really need something, ask Robin if he needs your help."

"No. No way. Not going to happen," the changeling said as he stepped back and held his hands up in front of his chest defensively, hoping he'd show how much he wanted to stay away from spending hours with the boy wonder. The idea repulsed him. He could just imagine how he'd be told he was getting in the way or that he should stop being so ridiculous with suggestions. Why lock himself in a room where he'd be driven to insanity or possibly even violence?

"Ask Starfire then," Cyborg said as he went back under his car.

"And end up going shopping? I know I can be any animal but I don't think I want to end up being a pack mule carrying dresses all day."

As the changeling gave his reason why he didn't want to tag along with the Tameranean, the image of a green animal being burdened down by bags of pink skirts and dresses made him nearly burst out in fits of laughter. If it hadn't been for the fact that he needed to focus on helping his friend along and finish working on his car, he wouldn't have been able to contain himself.

"You know that the only one you haven't said no to is Raven."

"Oh…maybe Robin's a better choice."

After a lengthy pause, Cyborg asked the obvious question. "Why?"

"I think Raven hates me more than Robin does," the green titan answered feeling a little upset that even though he had worked with the reclusive woman for years, she didn't seem to want to associate with him unless it was a life or death situation.

"Raven doesn't hate you, grass stain," the hybrid titan defended, "if anything, she likes you and tries to treat you with respect. Sure she picks on you say something stupid but so does everyone else. And just think about how many times she's helped you out or defended you when Robin got on your case. If you ask her nicely, I'm sure she'd help you out with almost anything. I wouldn't ask her out though; that's probably where she draws the line. I mean could just imagine you two going out? You two would definitely make the oddest couple I've ever seen. One almost never talks and the other almost never shuts up."

"Ha ha, very funny," Beast Boy sarcastically laughed. "And what even makes you think that I'd want to date Raven anyways?"

"You're the self-proclaimed lady's man aren't you?"

"Fine, I'll ask Raven…for help, not a date. But if my picture ends up on a milk carton, you saw me last and knew where I was going."

Chuckling as the changeling walked away, Cyborg pictured his friend asking the mysterious Raven out for a date. Part of him did want to see it happen, just to see how far someone could be thrown by dark magic. If only there was a way to make it happen. But the shape shifter's answer gave him the impression that he wasn't looking to be in a serious relationship and wouldn't even entertain the idea. Best to get back to work instead of tampering with someone else's life.

Meanwhile, Raven was up on the top of the tower, deeply focused on controlling her emotions through mediation. Ever since Beast Boy's dilemma had at least seemed to be resolved, the dark sorceress had felt increasingly frustrated with herself. There had been such a golden opportunity to demonstrate that she was more than just a friend with sound advice. It could have been the one moment in time for her to hint that she wanted more than just his friendship. If only she could find a spell or a chant that would allow her to turn time back several months to give her an excuse to talk to him and try to make him understand why she treated him the way she did. Damn her fears, damn her curse, but most especially damn the regret she just couldn't put to death.

The only other alternative the sorceress could use to remind herself that things would likely only become worse for her was her reasoning. Long before she had left Azarath, before she had come to the city she would call home and became fast friends with the other titans, she experienced her first crush. Even then the dark sorceress had thought it foolish to believe that she could have a deep, affectionate relationship. But the desire to know, the curiosity that she could feel rising inside her, got the best of her for the first time in her life. Temporarily abandoning everything she had been taught about remaining apathetic, Raven gathered all her courage to ask a very charming boy if he liked her. A very solid 'no' devastated her then fragile emotions and sent her away in tears, far from any of the people that had trained her. It had taken her weeks to calm down enough to go back to the temple where she resumed her training and forget about ever having something that resembled a normal relationship. "I will never allow that to happen again," she told herself, "I cannot sacrifice the team for the sake of my curiosity."

If all went well and she remained undisturbed for another hour or so, everything that she was trying to suppress would soon become a thing of the past. However, before that moment of enlightenment could dawn on her, she sensed a very familiar and often very annoying presence walking up behind her. Oddly enough though, he hadn't announced himself yet. It was a nice change, but it didn't prevent her emotions from acting up and completely shattering the peace that she desperately needed.

"I know you're there, Beast Boy," she said as emotionlessly as possible. Already two of her facets were getting excited. If there was so much as a suggestion that he was interested in her, the tower might end up collapsing underneath them.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bug you. I'll come back later." The shuffling of his feet told the sorceress that he wasn't joking about giving her back her solitude.

"Stop him!" a voice rang out in the empath's mind.

"You're not bothering me," the half demon calmly answered, fortunate to keep any signs of her emotions from being noticed.

"I didn't know you would be meditating. I was just looking for you and…um…well…uh…um…."

"Just spit it out already," Raven interjected, annoyed that her meditation had been interrupted and Beast Boy couldn't even explain why he had been looking for her.

"I've been trying to keep my mind off…off Terra. I was hoping you could come up with something that could help me," the changeling said bowing his head.

"Oh….I could definitely come up a few ideas I'd like to try. Might need to gag you but it will definitely get your mind off Terra," Raven heard in her head.

"Don't you think that one of the others would have something you'd want to do?" she asked as she one again fought herself.

"I got bored working with Vic. And honestly I'd rather get an idea from you then Robin or Star."

"Why?"

"Robin's always looking for Slade and I don't want to be so…I dunno. But I want to relax, not worry about something that might not even happen. And Star would probably drag me to the mall…or make me eat puddings 'til I puke. Vic said I should ask you, so that's what I'm doing."

"I can't imagine you'd be desperate enough to try mediation. The only other suggestion I can offer is reading. I'm sorry you wasted your time."

When the changeling didn't respond to either of her offers, Raven was convinced that she had made the right choice in denying what most of her emotions screamed out for. He wasn't interested in anything she did to relax so how could they truly enjoy each other's company? If their only commonality was their job, how could they have a deeper and more meaningful relationship? They would spend far too much time away from each other to make it work and only add unnecessary tension their work environment.

"Well," Beast Boy said finally breaking the uneasy silence, "I never thought I'd say this but…it's better than anything I'd get from Robin or Star…you have anything interesting?"

"I think you might be able to find something you'd like," the dark sorceress answered.

Ten minutes later, the two titans were standing in the half-demon's room looking for something that Beast Boy could imagine himself engrossed in. But predictably and unfortunately, Beast Boy seemed to only eliminate choices one by one. It appeared that the only thing that could catch his attention was a TV guide or a comic book. Perhaps it had been too much to hope for. After all, the shape shifter never stayed still unless he was watching a movie. And even then he would get up several times for snacks or use the restroom. So why were they wasting time on a wild goose chase?

"You still haven't found anything you like?" Raven asked, hoping that it was a lack of mediation that was making her pass judgment so quickly.

"Not yet, but I'm going to go through all of 'em," the shape shifter said trying to remain positive. He wanted to stay optimistic for fear that he might end up coming down on himself too hard and undo all his previous efforts. Plus, if he gave up too quickly, he would feel like he had wasted Raven's time. And he had learned the importance of never wasting her time needlessly.

"Give me an idea of what would interest you. I don't want to spend all day in here with you," Raven offered.

"Bullshit. Everyone's busy and they know you don't like to be bothered unless it's an emergency. There's a nice warm bed, and he's a prime cut, grade A catch," the dark sorceress's lust whispered once again trying to break her will.

"I was thinking something funny or maybe space aliens," Beast Boy answered as he looked around. He felt that the longer he took, the more likely things were going to end up being trashed and shattered by random black magic.

"Is fantasy substitutable? I can assure you that you won't find what you're looking for. Remember that these are all books that I would read."

"You mean like werewolves and stuff? Yeah, I think that's pretty cool."

"I believe it's over here," the dark sorceress stated as she moved down a couple bookcases and traced a finger down the spines of several books. "These are the ones that have werewolves in them. I haven't had a chance to read any of them so you have to be sure that you don't damage them. Choose one."

"You'd tell me to take care of it even if you had them memorized," Beast Boy said slightly amused. Raven's collection of books was like her children. She made sure that each one was respected and securely put in its place. The one time that Cyborg had accidently used one as a coaster, he found himself watching a movie from the other side of the tower.

"I want you to respect my property, Garfield. Now then, a few things I want you to not do. First, you are not to put anything on top of it. No snacks, no drinks, nothing. Second, do not wildly flip through pages and rip them. And finally, if you're not going to bother reading it, just give it back to me so it doesn't get destroyed."

"I promise Rae…ven," the changeling said as he nodded, accepting the terms that had been set for him to follow. "I promise I'll take good care of it. If I mess it up, I'll do anything to make it right. Cross my heart."

With those words, he left the dark sorceress to her solitude once more. She wasn't sure what to feel anymore, if anything at all. In a few hours' time, she had gone from thinking that it could happen, to it shouldn't be allowed to happen, to there was no way it could happen, and back again. Something as complex as emotions was not what she needed to deal with. Helping a friend find his way, resolving conflicts that threaten the stability of the team, even ridding the streets of crime was much more preferable then this. But at least she now had the time and space she had been needing for the meditation that had been delayed for far too long.

Sitting in a full lotus position, she closed her eyes and focused on chanting the only three words that helped calm her emotions.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos"


	3. Chapter 3

As he walked the short distance to his room where he could try reading the book he had been loaned without being asked about it, Beast Boy finally started to wonder what he was doing. This wasn't the way he liked to spend his time. He couldn't even recount the last time he had read anything that wasn't a television guide or a comic book. And now he was planning to read a novel? Had he forgotten how much he hated to sit down and stare at words longer than a minute? Had desperation taken such a hold on him that he would do almost anything anyone suggested as long as he couldn't come up with a quick excuse? Did he really want to change something in his life that much and still stay on the team? There were a lot of other options that didn't require him to spend his time in someone else's fantasy.

"No," the changeling muttered under his breath, reprimanding himself for wanting to give up before he even started. He hadn't turned down Cyborg's offer, or thrown in the towel when he was informed that he was going to have to study before he got to work on anything. Even when he figured out that he was probably never going to get a chance to drive the T-car, he went with the flow. So why shouldn't he employ that same optimism and dedication towards trying what Raven had offered him? There hadn't been any promises or incentives. Anything and everything that he was going to get out of it was purely his doing. He could make it enjoyable or a painful, agonizing hell. Come hell or high water, he was going to make the best of it.

But believing that he wouldn't be able to concentrate very without some sort of noise in the background to break up the monotony, the changeling turned up his stereo and kicked back at his cluttered desk. If he was lucky, he might be able to get through a few pages before dinner.

Meanwhile, as Beast Boy was attempting to settle himself down to resume his personal quest to move on with his live and possibly forget about romance, Starfire was going the exact opposition. She wanted to chase down the euphoric feeling of having someone tenderly loving her. And she knew exactly who she wanted to share that sensation with. From the very first moment she had set her sights on the boy wonder, she had imagined the two of them standing together against the tests of time. She only became more convinced that he was right for her as she spent time with him. He was always acting kind towards her, never raised his voice against her without quickly regretting it and begging for her forgiveness, and spent countless hours patiently teaching her phrases and metaphors so she wouldn't always have to ask for clarifications.

Still, as generous as he was, there was always the feeling that he wanted to keep a certain amount of distance between him and everyone else. It was as though he didn't want to get to emotionally attached to anyone so he wouldn't have to deal with so much pain if one of them was to be stolen away by death. Or was it something more than that? Was it out of fear that he would somehow create a weakness that Slade could and would exploit? Did he believe that it would be too great of a distraction for him, demanding so much time and attention that he would never catch his nemesis? While none of those might be the reason, it was enough to make the Tameranean wonder if she didn't understand Robin well enough to break through his defenses. What would it take? What was it that he needed to see that she was worth any risk? If she could not get the answers from the man she wanted, perhaps one of her other friends would be able to enlighten her.

Cyborg was the first of the titans to come to her mind. He and the boy wonder spent a great deal of time working together off the battlefield. Between the two of them, there was almost no problem that couldn't be figured out or overcome. And while they approached their pastimes in different ways, they shared a passion for getting things done right the first time. Perhaps having a good heart, a sound mind, and an eye for detail would allow Cyborg to give Starfire the insight she desired. If he didn't, he wouldn't give her bad advice or deceive her. No, if he couldn't help her, he would point her in the right direction. But why should she ask who to ask for advice instead of just figuring it out for herself and going straight to the source?

Raven was the next on her mind. The dark sorceress seemed to understand how everyone on the team thought and acted even when they themselves didn't quite understand. Plus, through her self-sacrifice and devotion, she had earned enough respect from Robin that he permitted her to know what he couldn't keep to himself but not share with the world. Everything that made Raven allowed her to give the most sound, reasonable advice. But love wasn't always logical. In fact it could be quite irrational. So could she understand love and its desires? Could she understand wanting to feel intimate emotional connections? How could someone that denied feeling any and all emotions, that refused to give any suitable companion, know the ways of the heart? There was no book that could fully explain what the heart desired.

And then there was Beast Boy, the only one on the team that she believed could honestly say he had been on a date since the team began. He had been the one on the team that she had seen experience being with someone that he was truly devoted to. But she had also been witness to the heartbreak he had suffered, the pain of losing the geomancer's trust and affection in an instant. Now he was rebuilding his life, shedding the shackles that held him in the shadows of the past. So if she asked him for advice on Earth's customs on love and relationships, would he feel like those chains were tying around him again? Would the questions open the wounds that had only begun to heal? Would all the work that he had done be undone? Or perhaps it would hasten the recovery, the knowledge that he could save one of his friends from his own painful experiences making him feel like some good had come out of his suffering. Was that chance worth the risk? No, unfortunately for the Tameranean, the peril was too great. She would not destroy what the changeling had created for a few answers.

The more the princess argued between Raven's logic and Cyborg's insight, the more she wished that Beast Boy had announced that he was back good as new. But as that was not yet the case, Starfire decided to ask the human machine hybrid. He was also the last male to choose from. Hopefully she made the right choice with thinking he'd have better insight. Soon, she would find out. Getting on her feet, she quickly sought out her friend.

But before the alien princess could accomplish her goal, the tower's alarm sounded once more. As duty called, she set aside her personal desires and donned the attitude of a fierce warrior. There would be time to ask questions later.

Meeting the others in the main hall, she watched once more as the boy wonder vigorously searched for where the trouble was arising. Yet while he was able to get an exact location on where the crime was being committed, he couldn't get any indication of what was happening or who was behind it. All he knew was that he and his team would have to be cautious while moving quickly if they were going to assure the city that they were under the watchful eye of the titans. Looking up from the keyboard, the titan leader turned, looked at his team, and uttered the phrase that sent them into battle mode, "Titans go!"

As the titans arrived on scene and cautiously approached the warehouse that Robin had targeted, Beast Boy felt like there was someone looking at them. But since nobody else looked like they thought they were being watched, he figured that he was really just going overboard with watching his back. Maybe it was just because his instincts told him that he didn't need to be caught off guard like he had been with Light. Or perhaps it was because he didn't want to have the boy wonder on his case for not following orders. Whatever the reason that was on his mind, the changeling was damn adamant he wasn't going to be the one to make the mistake that would alert the enemy to the titans' arrival.

"Stop, everyone hold up," Robin commanded in a load whisper as he put an ear to the side of the building. "Listen."

"I do not hear anything," Starfire answered after a few seconds.

"Exactly, they might already know we're here," the titan leader said looking over at the changeling.

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't do anything," Beast Boy said defensively.

"Calm down. I didn't say you did. I want you and Raven to go up on the roof and see if you can sneak in from there. Me, Star, and Cy are going to go through the front door. We'll surprise 'em and take them down before they have a chance to know what hit them."

Once Beast Boy and Raven were in position, they saw what they were up against. Clambering about inside were Jinx, Mammoth, Gizmo, and Cinderblock. The two heavy lifters were moving unmarked barrels into the trailer of a big rig, Gizmo was setting up what looked like a very sophisticated alarm system, and Jinx was standing guard while giving orders. Whatever the four of them were up to, Slade was probably involved in some way.

"Robin…Robin," the shape shifter nearly yelled into his communicator, "wait. I see something."

"Shhh…you don't have to yell, Beast Boy. They'll hear you," the boy wonder answered back. "What are you seeing?"

"Jinx, Gizmo, Mammoth, and Cinderblock are up to something. They're moving stuff into a truck but I can't tell what it is."

"Cinderblock is there too? Slade must be behind this. We'll have to move quick to stop 'em. Ready? Go now."

"Wait!" the changeling shouted, realized that Gizmo's security system appeared to be armed and ready. But it was too late; the boy wonder had already kicked the door in. A split second later, a large explosion and a bright flash sent the titan leader flying back shouting profanities.

However, not allowing the surprise from the bomb detonation to slip away, Beast Boy took the advantage of the attention being diverted towards the front door. Crashing through the skylight, he transformed into the Edmontonia and slammed his armored back on Cinderblock's head, sending the two of them through the floor and into the ocean below. But before he was able to pull himself out of the hole he created and charge at another one of Jinx's team, the enchantress turned her full attention to him and threw a hex in his direction. Fortunately for the green skinned titan, a shield of dark magic saved his neck as Raven made her decent and battled the pink haired villainess.

Seeing the opportunity that Beast Boy and Raven provided by forcing the criminals to split their attention, Cyborg charged and took on Mammoth, matching punch for punch. Starfire came in right behind him, protecting the cybernetic titan from the little genius by throwing a series of starbolts. By keeping him jumping around and trying to avoid a scorching wound, the two titans gave Robin and Beast Boy to get back in the fight. Hopefully the boy wonder wouldn't be too hurt by the explosion and get up soon.

And not a moment too soon, Robin came back in full force and blindsided Cinderblock as he lumbered back in from being on the ocean floor. Jumping on the stone behemoth, he pulled out his bo-staff and brought the weapon down into his enemy's face, all while ignoring the pain that was shooting through his shoulder. But he wasn't able to keep his advantage for very long. As the titan leader let his adrenaline fueled fury take over, he wasn't aware of Cinderblock's hand reaching back and grasping the edge of his cape until it was too late. Soon as he realized what happened, he was flying through the air and slamming his back into a steel support column. It certainly looked like the numbers were now even.

Becoming frighteningly infuriated from watching her love interest get knocked unconscious, Starfire became so enraged that she dropped her assault against Gizmo and went for a new target. Flying through the air like a bullet, she tackled the rock monster and proceeded to punch its face. Again and again she brought her fists down like she was wielding Thor's hammer. Just as it appeared that she was going to shatter Cinderblock's body, a wave of purple magic knocked off across the floor and allowed giant to get on his feet and take the offensive against her.

Meanwhile, Cyborg was starting to lose the upper hand. His power cells were starting to wane, the mechanics in his arms pushed beyond the set limits. If he didn't get any help soon or find an opening that would allow his system to cool down, he was going fold under pressure. Plus, with all his attention on pushing, he didn't notice Starfire was elsewhere and Gizmo was climbing up his back, trying to hack into his system.

But before the tiny villain managed to get access to the vital programs that ran the cybernetic titan's major functions, Beast Boy managed to save his friend. Pulling Gizmo from Cyborg's back, he threw the two of them into the water below, completely ruining the exposed electronic equipment that could have brought one more titan down. But the resulting short gave the changeling the shock of his life. Still, he got the better end of the deal. Gizmo's body absorbed most of the rampant energy. Now the fight was down four to three, if the changeling was able to get over the pain quickly.

As the green titan managed to crawl out of the hole in the floor, he watched as Robin got back to his feet and grabbed his staff again. After appearing to be popping his shoulder back into place, he came up behind Mammoth and swung his weapon at the back of the knees and instantly gave Cyborg the relief and upper hand he needed. Once that was going to be under control, he rushed to Starfire's aid and, between him and the Tameranean, was able to gain a substantial advantage against Cinderblock. Eventually they were able to knock him out cold. The combination of explosives and starbolts were just enough to force the monstrosity to fall on its face completely unconscious.

And while all the other criminals were beginning to fall, Raven slowly wore the pink haired enchantress down. Block an attack, throw a few random objects, and defend again. The strategy seemed to work very well; Jinx was starting to slow her attacks. The fact that she was out numbered five to one didn't make it any easier. The moment there was a clean shot, Cyborg aimed his cannon and fired just under the magical villainess' feet, resulting in her loss of balance and allowing Raven to deliver a final blow. Lifting the villainous leader off her feet while she couldn't defend herself, the dark sorceress threw her close to the ceiling and watched her crash to the ground with a thunderous slam.

With the last of the villains down, the titans won their battle. And after the four criminals were back behind bars, only questions remained. What in the world could they have been up to? Was Slade really involved? What could he have looking for? And most importantly, if the criminal mastermind was behind the attack, why didn't he use his army of machines to do it for him? They were far more reliable and numerous then Jinx, her team, plus Cinderblock.

It was those inquiries consumed the boy wonder on the way back to the tower. Whatever Slade was up to, he had to figure it out before it was too late. Nothing in the world mattered more than making sure that he did his job and the city was safe.

"Victor," Starfire said as soon as the titans once again dispersed to their various pastimes, "may I speak with you?"

"Sure," Cyborg answered, "but don't you usually talk to Robin when you have a problem?"

"I believe that, how do you say, he is the problem? You must understand that I am not angry with him. I am confused on why he does not love me as I love him? Is there a ritual that I must perform to attract a male on this planet?"

"A ritual? I don't think there's anything like that, least when it comes to Robin. And honestly, I wouldn't say he doesn't love you. He just married to his job."

Confused and unaware that it was another expression, Starfire asked for clarification in her odd way. "When did he wed?"

"No, Kori," Cyborg responded with a grin, "I mean his job is the most important thing to him right now. Maybe you should just come out and tell him how you feel. He'll have to give you an answer. But I think I should warn you, you might not like what he tells you. Be careful ok?"

"Yes, I shall," the Tameranean princess said with a slight bow. "I thank you for your assistance in this matter."

Unsatisfied with the answer she had been given, Starfire headed off to see if she could find Raven. If the questions she gave got the same answer from her best friend, then perhaps she would agree and bluntly state her feelings to the boy wonder. But if the dark sorceress gave her different advice, then she would be back at square one, wondering what method would be most appropriate to tell Robin of her undying devotion. Asking Beast Boy was still out of the question she believed; he might be hanging by an emotional thread.

"Friend Raven," the alien princess stated as she knocked on her friend's bedroom door, "if you are not too busy, may I ask you for advice?"

"What's on your mind?" the half demon asked as she answered the knock.

"Richard. I am seeking the correct method to inform him that I love him so he will agree to court me."

"I don't think that exists, Starfire," Raven stated flatly. "You can't make someone love you. It just happens. You can tell him and hope for the best, but it's out of your hands."

"There is nothing else I can do?" the Tameranean asked, hoping that there was something that her friend had forgotten to tell her.

"No, there isn't. Some things you just can't control," the dark sorceress confirmed, both to her friend and herself. She knew there were a few spells that could influence someone's will and bend their emotions. But they were extraordinarily difficult to perform, dangerous to both the spell caster and target's health, and when it came to matters such as love and affection, it created an empty facade that could never provide the comfort the real thing would.

"That is precisely what Victor told me as well. Thank you for your time. I suppose that I will speak to Richard immediately," Starfire said in a chipper tone as she started to walk away.

"One last piece of advice," Raven calmly added. "I know you've waited patiently for Robin to tell you how he feels, but you need to be careful about how you tell him. If he's in a bad mood or upset about something, he could inadvertently take it out on you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Thank you once again, friend. I promise to be careful."

Watching her friend walk away to ponder the advice she had been given, Raven closed her door and slowly walked the short distance to her bed to lie down. It was starting to get late and with her emotions calmed, she could get some much deserved rest.

As the night wore on and the other titans began to head off to bed, Beast Boy fought to stay awake as long as possible. Lying in bed up against the wall, the changeling stared up at the ceiling as he relived the fight earlier that day. From the very first moment he had engaged the enemy, the only mistakes that he had made had been so minor he saw himself as performing flawlessly. He was the first to incapacitate one of Jinx's team; he had saved his best friend from possibly irreparable damage; he had tried to keep Robin from making a nearly fatal mistake. His only regret was that he hadn't done something that would have prevented the boy wonder from the burns he suffered. A berating from Robin could be in the near future just so he could shift the blame to someone else, but he was running such an emotional high that he wasn't going to concern himself with possibly having to deal with it. Why bother?

A half hour later and still not feeling like he was going to doze off, Beast Boy decided to reach for the book that Raven had lent him. "Why not," he reasoned to himself. Since there hadn't been anything interesting in the TV guide and playing videogames alone wasn't nearly as much fun as it was when he played against Cyborg, he might as well spend a little time buried in another fantasy instead of worship his successes. And he had to admit, it was a lot more interesting than he had perceived.

The book he borrowed was written in such a way that he felt like he was reading someone's first hand experiences with the mythological creatures, like it was all real. The descriptions of the battles and desecration that subsequently followed were more graphic than anything he could find in a movie. Every word was so perfectly placed, the images so vivid in his mind that the more he read the more he was captivated. It was strange that he could keep his eyes open and brain focused on the pages, yet he was. But as he felt like he was getting to a really interesting plot, the shape shifter started to sink into a very deep sleep.

His mind free from the confines of his body, Beast Boy found himself standing among the ruins of a burning city and fleeing villagers. To his right there was a pile of mutilated corpses, the blood of the innocent saturating the ground and forming a small river. To his left, two armies were throwing themselves at each other. And from what Beast Boy could see, he assumed that the invaders were more numerous and slowly overwhelming the defenders. There were three choices for the changeling. He could aid the defenders, assist the invaders and quicken their victory, or follow the crowd and run like hell into the woods behind him.

While he wanted to be on the winning side and relish in victory, his heart reached out to the defenseless. Even in his dreams he was wanted to be the hero. His mind set, Beast Boy transformed into a bull and charged at the massive creatures he was sure were evil. And just as his horns were about to pierce through the flesh of his first victim, large furry paws grasped at his throat, wrenched his neck, and sent him crashing to the ground.

Switching back, he looked up and saw a massive beast covered in fur with eyes that glowed in the moonlight. Its teeth bared and paws reaching for the stars, the changeling was too shocked to move. In an instant, he was going to be slain by a creature that didn't exist, a werewolf. Raven's book and his imagination were creating one hell of a spectacle he would soon wake from. But just as the razor-like claw was about to slice his belly wide open, a flash of sliver cut through the changeling's vision. Instantly he was covered in the blood of his attacker, its paws resting on his chest and soaking him crimson.

"Get out of here, boy!" the order came from the soldier standing over the green skinned titan. And with his eyes closed to keep blood from running into his eyes, Beast Boy tried to wipe off his face before he tried to pick a direction to go. "I told you to run," the command came again. "You ig-," the rant was cut short by a gargling sound that quickly ending in silence.

Frightened to the core, Beast Boy scrambled to his feet and fled in the same direction he thought he had seen a majority of the villagers go. Maybe if he found someone else out there, they could point him in a general direction to find some relative safety. He assumed that being covered in blood would tell everyone that he was friendly despite the fact he shape shifted and was green.

After staggering through the thick brush for miles and not seeing a soul, the changeling eventually stumbled across a small cave. It was definitely remote and as he seen any other place to catch his breath without exposing himself to danger, he took a chance and hoped it wouldn't end with being ambushed.

Slowly walking into the cavern, he saw a faint glow reflecting off the stone walls. "Someone's here," Beast Boy thought to himself as he morphed his hands into claws while his eyes darted around looking for danger. He was going to be ready to fight whoever he was going to meet, assuming his adversary wasn't about eight feet tall, covered in fur, and was armed with fangs and teeth. He was as good as dead if it was. There wasn't going to be another person to sacrifice themselves for his survival. It was coming to the moment of truth; turn back now and look for another place to hide or take a chance with his life.

Feeling that there wasn't much of a choice, he gathered his courage and rounded the bend. And there, the green titan saw a single man staring to the flames as though they were relaying a message. The figure wore ornate armor, plated steel with intricate designs. His helmet which was cradled under his left arm was equally ornately crafted. At his side, a sword hung ready to be unsheathed and cut down anyone that dared to approach in seconds. And finally, a shield rested against the wall behind him, its crest that of a dragon.

As for the man himself, he stood tall and proud even though his situation appeared grim. His eyes seemed to hold a piercing gaze that could see into the very hearts of men. Everything else about him proclaimed that Beast Boy was standing in the presence of a king. All that was truly missing from the picture were a legion of solders to command and a steed for him to ride on into battle.

But not thinking too much about it and taking a chance with his current situation, Beast Boy opened his mouth with the hope that by not surprising the mysterious character, he would not be seen as a threat.

"Uh…h-hi," he coughed as his throat started to burn from the smoke that filled the room.

"I have been expecting you," the deep voice of the mysterious figure proclaimed as one of his hands grasped the hilt of his sword. "You're late."

"How can I be late? I don't know you," Beast Boy answered as his eyes shifted around, wondering if the message was intended for someone else.

"But I know you, Garfield Logan. I know that you are afraid, that you are lost, and that you do not understand what is happening. And I also know that you are my salvation."

"Who are you? How'd you guess my name?"

"As I said, I know you. I have seen you in a vision. You are destined for great things. And my name is Vlad III, prince of Wallachia."

Staring blankly and without any idea of what he should say next, the changeling waited to see what this prince was going to say. Naturally he wanted to ask why a man of royal birth was hiding in a cave and didn't have an army with him, or at the very least a few body guards. But he figured that since he was unarmed and this mysterious prince was in armor and probably very skilled with his sword, it would be foolhardy to say anything that could be considered an insult. It was in his best interests to keep him mouth shut for once and see where things were going to take him.

"Now then," Vlad continued after a short silence followed his introduction, "I suppose you are wondering how you are going to aid me."

Beast Boy nodded even though he just wanted to know what had been happening the town he had escaped from.

"My life will soon come to an end. I have seen my own death and that of my children. The era of that which you have witnessed ends this night and will be shrouded in legends. But…my gift…I will not allow it to die. You, it is yours to take. All that I ask is that you accept my seal."

"I don't know you so…thanks but no thanks, your highness," the shape shifter responded as he turned to leave. Destiny, fate, the will of divine or malevolent forces, he wasn't interested and wasn't going to play along.

"Halt," the warrior prince ordered with such authority that Beast Boy stopped in his tracks and turned around. "I am not offering you gold or jewels. What I am offering you is greater than that. My gift is everything any man would be willing to kill for: great strength, immunity to a vast number of plagues and pestilence, and flesh that is near infallible to the weapons of men. I know you are already gifted with the ability to become any beast you wish. But imagine how much greater you would become. Imagine how much more you could do to protect the weak and innocent. Imagine all the possibilities that would be opened to you. How can you possibly disregard my offer, Garfield? You lose nothing and gain so much. And all you have to do is give me your hand and accept my seal."

Stopping to think about what he could do with such things, Beast Boy blinded himself to the idea that there was a lie hidden in the propaganda. Throughout his life, everything had come at a price. He had to lose his parents to become a hero. He had to lose his adoptive parents to become a titan. He had to lose Terra to find out what sort of person he really was and who he wanted to be.

And the prince was right; he couldn't give up the chance to have something nobody else could. Never being sick would be great. Not having to worry about injuries was better still. But the enhancement in his strength, especially if it worked with all his animal forms, was the greatest of them all. There might be no limits to what he could do and how it could make things easier for him and the rest of the titans. No question, there was no way he was going to give up such an opportunity. None of his friends would walk away so why should he? Without a second thought or questioning anything he had been told, the changeling reached left out his hand.

"Deal," the shape shifter said with confidence as his imagination ran wild. And as he gave his consent, in the back of his mind a voice whispered that it just an extravagant dream. After all, strange places, strange people, strange creatures, strange circumstances, and none of his friends around had to mean that this was all in his head, that he was visualizing the story Raven had lent him. But it was nice to believe while it lasted.

"Excellent," the prince answered as he pulled out a necklace that had been hidden under his breastplate. Quickly heating it over his fire until it became red hot, he took a firm grip of Beast Boy's wrist. Without the slightest hesitation or hint of concern, the Wallachian prince pressed the glowing metal into the changeling's palm. With the smell of burning flesh filling his nostrils while his eyes widened with both shock and horror, the stunned titan woke up with the last image of a devilish grins staring back at him seared into his mind.

Rubbing his forehead with his right hand while staring up at the darkness, the changeling fought to remember what had startled him awake. As strand yet fascinating as his dream had been, only a few scattered pictures came to the forefront. He recalled that it had been based entirely out of the story he had been reading the night before. There had been a great deal of running, screaming, and murder. But all could he think of after that was a stare that told him he should have asked more questions. He certainly had a very selective memory.

"Damn," Beast Boy mumbled as he sat up and cracked his back, "I should just go back to watch movies."

Rubbing his eyes as he looked over at the new clock Cyborg had convinced him to get, the changeling pushed the clutter out of his mind and move on with his day. He needed to get breakfast, allow it to settle in his stomach, and be ready for the morning training session. And if recent history was going to be the judge, he was going to have a sparring match with the boy wonder. That was, if the fearless leader was going to be up for it. The humiliation and the substantial injuries he had incurred the night prior might put a stop to the newest titan tradition.

But while the changeling was working himself up for a fight as he put on his gloves, he noticed a prominent scar in the shape of a dragon out of the corner of his eye. His mind kicking into high gear as he scrambled to come up with an answer as to how it could have possibly happened, his nightmare replayed almost every detail. But that couldn't be a real explanation. Rolling over, falling out of bed, and maybe breaking an arm could happen. Suddenly having a scar from being burned overnight couldn't. It must still be a wild dream he would wake up from. Perhaps pinching himself would quicken the trip to reality.

"What the fuck …," the shape shifter mouthed as fear drowned his other senses. He wasn't back in bed or coming out of a strange daydreaming. He was sure his brain hadn't completely gone to mush from watching too much television, no matter how many times his friends made jokes about the subject. And nothing around him suggested that someone had sneaked into his room and pulled a prank on him. How would they come up with a mark that he had seen in his dream for the first time land night; or just anything on his left hand for that matter?

There was only one option available for the frightened shape shifter; he was going to have to ask Raven to enlighten him on what had happened. He certainly wouldn't come up with an explanation that would calm his fears. All his answers would revolve around movie plots. The dark sorceress however understood forces that nobody else could. Beast Boy just had to hope that he wouldn't be accused of coming up with a ridiculous prank. Somehow that outcome seemed highly likely.

"Raven…Raven please…open the door…please," the changeling cried as he banged on the door. "Come on, please…"

"Beast Boy," the dark sorceress answered through clenched teeth while the sound of shattered glass came from down the hall, "what the hell is your problem? Its seven thirty and you're screaming. Have you forgotten I prefer silence to your yelling? You better have a good excuse or I swear dealing with Robin getting on your case will be the least of your problems."

"My hand…my hand…look at my hand…" the shape shifter held out his hands.

"You're wearing the gloves you used to help Victor with his car and they're covered in grease. Get new ones," the half-demon answered as she fought to keep her rage from erupting. This was not how she wanted to start her day. Meditation first, a light breakfast, battle practice, and finally dealing with annoying from her green friend felt like a much better plan for her day. There would be fewer repairs needed around the tower too. Cyborg would appreciate that fact if he ever became aware of it.

"No, not that," Beast Boy answered as tore his gloves off and held them palm up, nearly shoving them in Raven's face. "See that? Where the hell did that come from?"

Realizing that she wasn't getting the changeling to back off by use of scare tactics, a feeling of concern toned down her festering anger. Whenever Beast Boy told jokes or tried to pull off pranks around the tower, he always backed down when she glared at him. Now he appeared to be more than willing to accept any retribution. Either he had completely lost what was left of his mind or was extremely desperate.

Grabbing the changeling's wrist to get a quick glance, she became very intrigued in his scarring. The symbol looked very familiar to her, but she didn't know why. And as to how it could suddenly show up overnight, it would frighten her friend even more if she just flatly stated that she had no idea. He had to be let down gently with the promise an answer would be found as fast as humanly possible.

After what probably felt like forever to Beast Boy, Raven final spoke in a very collected voice. "Garfield, I don't know. I can't tell you what happened because I have never seen anything like this. What I can tell you is I'll do what I can to help you. It's just going to take some time."

Like flipping on a switch, the changeling went from paralyzing fear to intense anger. He snapped he hand back, glared with fire burning in his eyes, a clenched his teeth 'til his jaw hurt. All he could think was how this only happened because he had gotten help from her the first time. What was going to happen next? If he take a breath and be reasonable, he'd remember that he had come to her specifically for her help and that was what she was promising to do. She just needed a little time, time that he didn't want to spend waiting. Somehow in his mind, he figured Raven would snap her fingers and everything would be made right even though history should have taught him that she never made a quick fix.

"Figure it out and help me?" the changeling shouted, "That's all you can tell me?"

"Garfield…" Raven started before she was interrupted.

"Don't call me that. I hate the name and I never want to hear it again."

"Stop throwing a tantrum. I told you I would try to figure it out. I just need time."

"How the fuck can you expect me to calm down? This all happened after you gave me that damn book to read."

"You're telling me that I'm responsible for this? Are you seriously that dense?" the half demon countered, her indignation started to get out of control. If he wanted to be upset with the mystery he found himself in that was perfectly understandable. But to take no responsibly for what had led up to the current events and put it all on her shoulders, she was not going to stand for it. Of all the things that he did that got under her skin, shifting the blame to someone else ranked highest on the list. His jokes and pranks might be more annoying than funny, but at least there was an underlining desire to lighten the mood. Wanting to point the finger at someone else and say it was their fault just made him look like a spoiled brat that refused to grow up. That wasn't going to be tolerated, not now and not ever.

"Yes…" the changeling answered before he was shoved against the wall opposite side of the hall.

"No, this is your fault. The only reason you borrowed anything from me or worked with Victor for months was because you can't get over a fucking whore that left you years ago because she's so damn insecure. You moped around for weeks, whining about how you were so fucking happy when she was here. One fucking week, that's all she was here for. After that, to get over it, did you ask for my help, Richard's, Victor's, or even Kori's? No, you slammed the door in everyone's face and told us to fuck off; everything would be fine. I gave you your space, everyone did, just like you wanted. We only stepped in when it looked like you were going to end up killing yourself. Is that what you wanted? Maybe Victor should have let you. Then we wouldn't have to keep cleaning up your mess. Every time something goes badly for you, you say its bad luck. How about you act your age for once in your life? Or is that too difficult for you?"

At this point, her eyes were fiery red, burning their way into the changeling's soul. Apathy be damned, rage was reigning supreme and nothing would bring it under control.

"Don't you ever call her a whore," Beast Boy lashed back as he brought his face inches from Raven's.

"I've never lied about my judgments. But I guess you're right. I shouldn't call her a whore…it would be paying her a compliment," the half demon answered coldly, not backing down.

"Shut up. Shut the fuck up. I don't want to hear you talk about Terra ever again. So fuck you. I'll figure it out on my own. You can go straight to hell."

With those final pleasant words, the changeling stomped off to leave Raven to her own thoughts. He didn't care what she thought about him, at least not yet. When he finally managed to take a step back and calm down, he'd see how foolish he had been. He had burned the only bridge to the answer he sought.

On the other hand, Raven fought to bring her anger down immediately. She knew how sensitive her friend could be whenever Terra was brought up in a conversation. No matter how she badly she had broken his heart, she still meant something to him. Even if he wasn't going to love her like he had originally hoped, he wasn't going to allow her name to be dragged through the mud. Rage had just used the vulnerability as it had wanted to for a very long time.

And for that brief lapse in judgment and control, the rest of her emotions would have to suffer. The end of hoping for a prominent future for the two of them so share together was all but completely annihilated. Never would the day come that they fought through petty differences and spoke three small words that could take their relationship to a higher level. All the pain and torture she had endured to keep her affection a secret would be nothing compared to the anguish she was going to feel for very long time. And since the dark sorceress didn't feel like she could meditate, the only option still available was to just let her emotions go. But she would do so at a distance so as not to get her friends caught up in the ensuing destruction.

Locking up her room and setting her communicator next to her bed so she wouldn't be bothered, the saddened half-demon took a long flight over the sea. At least there she was far less likely to obliterate everything else that she cared about.

As soon as she felt like she had traveled far enough, she broke down and cried. She wept for the pain she had endured in the hopes she would find a way to express her emotions safely. She cried for all the pain she was going to have to suffer through to get back to where she needed to be. But the tears fell heaviest when she thought of how all the dreams she wanted to make a reality looked like they had been annihilated in one fight. It was as though her father reached from the deepest depths of hell and wanted to show her he controlled everything in her life. Wasn't it enough that she had never found a way to tell the boy she loved how desperately she wanted his affection and understanding? That she would make countless more sacrifices to own his heart?

The more she fought to get the weight of the world off her shoulders, the more questions flooded her mind. Why had both the boys she had fallen for seem to have zero interest in her? Was she that unpleasant to be around? Was her dark lineage too much to overcome? Had she put up so many barriers to keep her friends safe that she appeared to only be willing to work with them and nothing more? Could they not see past that, to a girl that just wanted to be loved? Starfire wasn't the only one needing someone she could depend off the battlefield. For just one single solitary moment, she wanted to be happy, truly happy. No fights, no arguments, no need to control her emotions, no evil father making her miserable while simultaneously trying to use her to kill every living creature throughout the universe. Was all that too much to ask for?

"Forget about him. He's a waste of space. Now can you see he's an immature child? You've known this for years," the demonic influence reprimanded, pushing the grieving titan further into despair where it would gain back control.

"No, you can't give up now," a calm, more human voice countered. "He's confused and scared. You know what that feels like. Give him some time. That boy can be impulsive and it's difficult for him to take things one step at a time. He'll come around; he always does."

"Not this time he won't, you went too far and you know it. You wasted what little time you have on that worthless insect. Understand now that this world needs to be purged. Revel in the fact you will be the one to bring its destruction. It's what you were made to do."

"You can't give up hope, Raven. Nothing great comes easily. Go back, search for the answers you know Garfield will never be able to find, and give him the peace he needs. You passed up one opportunity; can you afford to do it again?"

"For the sake of all that is unholy, seriously. Go ahead, waste your life. It will make returning father to his throne all the more enjoyable. You will never escape your destiny. I won't allow it."


	4. Chapter 4

Roughly thirty minutes after Beast Boy and Raven parted ways, Robin was welcoming the morning with a little more vigor then the others would be expecting. After his embarrassing mistakes and lackluster performance in battle, he was a little surprised himself. Maybe it was because he got a little more perspective on his tactics, that he wasn't infallible and needed to listen to his team a little more. Or perhaps it was because he felt invincible. Nobody else on the team would be described as being only human. Starfire was from another planet. Cyborg was, as his name implied, half machine. Raven, who refused to give specifics on her heritage, had an arsenal of dark arts that sometimes even frightened her team. And Beast Boy had a menagerie of animal forms he could use for any situation.

The more the boy wonder thought that he pushed his limits a little more than the rest of his team, the more he thought very highly of himself. And the bigger his ego got, the more he wanted to find a new challenge for his morning practice. The question for the titan leader was what could he proposition to the other titans that would make him even better warrior without the idea being practically ridiculous? What idea could make him into a better fighter without putting him on a gurney? While he did want to push himself to the absolute extremes, he had no intention of being everyone's punching bag.

Racking his brain for the perfect scheme, Robin started by sorting out what he thought to be true. Beast Boy was fairly reliable when it came to him needing a sparring partner. However, the changeling's fighting skills in a one on one fight were extraordinarily lacking when he wasn't permitted to morph into different animals. No matter how many times the boy wonder tried to give subtle hints on improving, nothing seemed to change. In fact, the scorecard was the titan leader with thirteen victories and two defeats. And both of those losses were because he had gone easy on the changeling. "Maybe," the fearless leader thought to himself, "I should get Beast Boy to team up with someone else against me."

However, taking on two of his teammates at the same time in a sparring match really didn't appeal to the titan leader all that much after he thought about it a little more. It wouldn't really challenge him all that much. After all, he was very skilled when it came to switching from one opponent to the other. And since there wouldn't be any sort of superpowers permitted, there wasn't much of a point to it. He had taken on dozens of Slade's mechanical soldiers without breaking a sweat. When would he end up pushing his limits? Could it be perhaps never?

Then the boy wonder began to consider challenges outside the tower itself. There was always the titans' speed record for getting through the obstacle course he could go after. Currently it belonged to Beast Boy since he was permitted to morph into any land animals he saw fit to get to the finish line. He was a distant second. Maybe shrinking the gap was something that he could chase or even surpass. And as far as Robin knew, there was no normal human being that could keep with a cheetah, quarter horse, or wildebeest. If he thought about the difference in speed between animals and humans, he'd give up right then and there.

Within minutes of thinking he could take the record, it dawned on him how obscured he was being with himself. He had more than enough agility to outmaneuver the barriers that randomly appeared just as quickly as the changeling could. But when it came to the two straightaways, there wasn't a hope in hell he'd keep up. The quickest sprint he had ever managed wasn't even fifty percent of what the shape shifter was capable of. And he hadn't been able to keep that speed up for more than a couple seconds. Still, shaving a couple seconds off his personal record would be something to push for.

"I know, I should try to get Cyborg to mix the course up a little bit," the fearless leader thought as he reached the gym. He wasn't going to turn it into a high priority; and there were two reasons for that. First, it wasn't vital for team's performance. The inventions and improvements that had the most significant impact went to the top of the list. This was not one of those deals. And secondly, Robin didn't want the course to get changed before he had a chance to break his record. How was he going to know he improved if he wasn't doing something that he was familiar with?

But as soon as the boy wonder opened the door, he completely forgot what he wanted Cyborg to do. Normally he was the first one to show up for any practice session, but this time Beast Boy was already there. Plus, the changeling was toying with one of the bokuto that had been hanging on the wall. More surprising still was that it looked like the shape shifter had some idea of what he was doing. His footwork was clumsy, but it didn't detract much. It had taken Robin years of patience and practice to get to his skill level. And if he ever wanted to teach someone martial arts, Beast Boy seemed to be a good choice. It was almost frightening that someone that spent so much time watching movies might have actually learned something viable.

"Beast Boy, what are you doing?" the boy wonder asked, spooking the green skinning titan and making him jump in surprise.

"Geez, don't sneak up on me like that," the changeling said grabbing his chest.

"Sorry 'bout that. I was surprised that you looked like you knew what you were doing."

"Did I? Really," Beast Boy said with surprise in his voice.

"Yeah, that was pretty good," Robin complemented, making the shape shifter wonder if he was back to dreaming. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had been told he had shown any skill other than when Cyborg was giving a somewhat backhanded statement about how he spent so much time playing videogames.

As the boy wonder continued to ramble on about what seemed to work well and where he had left himself open, Beast Boy completely zoned out. He didn't mean to be offensive; he just didn't have much interest in using a weapon in battle. First of all, how would he carry it when he transformed into an animal that didn't even have hands? And secondly, he found claws, fangs, and hooves to be far more reliable and versatile. The only reason he had even thought to play around with the replica was so he was doing something somewhat relaxing while he thought about how he talked to Raven. Why did he react so badly? How could he treat a friend like that? Would he find the words to make things right? Would she even listen?

The more Beast Boy remembered how things unfolded, the more he felt like he was worse than scum. And hey, he had the skin color to match it. Raven had offered her help without stipulation, just like he had wished. Even though he had bothered her so early and babbled like he had a mouth full of marbles, she had suppressed her frustrations and gave him time. All she asked for in return was for him to calm down, try to relax, and give her some time to do research. And he couldn't even do that.

"So…anyhow…where'd you even learn that?" Robin asked, his question derailing the changeling's train of thought.

"Learn what how?" the shape shifter blabbered, knowing that the boy wonder would be irritated with his answer.

"Did you seriously ignore everything I said?"

It didn't take a psychic to see that he was going to have Robin on his back again. Only making it worse was that he wanted to keep his fight with Raven a secret. If the rest of the team knew, at least one of them would pry until they had a satisfactory explanation to go along with it. And until he had a sensible answer for himself, he was keeping his mouth shut.

"Come on, Beast Boy, give me some sort of explanation," the titan leader said as his frustration grew. "Was it something I said? I didn't mean anything that might have insulted you."

"No…I was just thinking," the changeling explained dodging the question. "But…um…maybe I watched too many ninja movies or something. I thought I was just making things up."

"Hey, I have an idea. How about you and me have a duel for some fun?" the boy wonder suggested.

"Nah, I don't think so, Dick. I just want to get this over with and talk with Raven."

"Call her on the communicator or just wait 'til she gets here. Everyone should be here soon anyways," Robin answered matter-of-factly.

"I think it's going to take a little more than a quick 'sorry' to make things right again," the green skinned shape shifter said inadvertently confessing what was bothering him. To make it a little worse, Robin picked up on his tone of voice and drew a few quick conclusions. One such assumption was that something so terrible happened between the two of them that Raven would either leave when she saw Beast Boy in the gym or simply come by at a later time.

With a few nods and pretending like he knew what was being referred to, Robin scrambled to figure out what was going on in his team behind his back. The other titans didn't have to tell him everything and such a thing could never be expected. He just really liked to keep a finger on the pulse. In his mind, that was one of his responsibilities as the team leader. The more he knew about the team's dynamics, the better decisions he could make. But of course it was impossible to have that much information so he settled on knowing just the really important things. And this little episode that had driven a wedge between two of his associates screamed at him. He could be mistaken, but what if he wasn't?

Whatever the problem, the boy wonder concluded that the severity could be measured by one simple occurrence. If Raven showed up for practice, even a little late, he would have to believe that his green skinned ally was blowing everything out of proportion as usual. But if she didn't show up at all, then maybe something that could ruin the titans' function as a group really did happen. Clearly that was what Beast Boy believed. Maybe he could get the duel he wanted while tossing the changeling a bone.

"Beast Boy, feel like making a bet with me?" the boy wonder asked with a self-satisfied grin. It wasn't so much of a question as it was a dare. Robin could count on one hand how many times the answer had been 'no'.

"Depends," the changeling answered resting the sword on his shoulder, "what's in it for me?"

"Well, if you can beat me in a sword fight, you have the day off. But if you lose, you do my chores for the rest of the week: washing the dishes, taking out the trash, that stuff. What do you say?"

"I say that sucks. I get one day off and you get three? Even it up, three days off if I win, three for you if you win. That sounds a lot fairer to me."

"I'm still going to work on finding Slade and testing a few theories," the boy wonder informed. But he really wanted to see what the changeling was capable of so he agreed. He shouldn't lose anyways.

The only reason Beast Boy bothered to make a counteroffer because he thought that if Robin had been so impressed, maybe he had a real chance of winning. And part of him felt surprisingly confident in that fact. Maybe he was losing his mind. Maybe he was desperate for a couple days off from housework. Maybe he wanted to figure his problem out like he told Raven he was going to. Or maybe he just really wanted to figure out the best way of convincing Raven that he was sorry.

"How about one more stipulation, no forcing outside the ring," the boy wonder added. He hoped that wouldn't make the dare less enticing. He just wanted to see if his assumptions were good. In the end, he believed that there would be more than enough openings for him to exploit a win. Then he would have two days free from menial tasks and do what was truly important, figuring out what Jinx and her team had been trying to steal with the assistance of Cinderblock while tracing it back to Slade. There had to be a connection; he just needed time to find it.

"Scared you'll lose? Beast Boy teased.

"Good, glad to see you're overconfident," the fearless leader taunted as he grabbed a second bokuto.

"You'd know what that's like," the changeling shot back with a smirk.

"Well get some pads on. I don't want to hurt you too badly," Robin said getting the last word.

A few minutes later, with his weapon firmly gripped in his hands, Beast Boy stared down his opposition while trying to guess the best way of going for the win. There wasn't a time constraint so he couldn't dance around the mat. He could go for a banzai charge but that was sure to just end with him scrubbing dishes. Likewise, playing defense wouldn't work. He didn't have the experience to know what sort of attack made what areas vulnerable for the longest amount of time or if they were just a set up to get him to mess up. It was probably going to end very quickly and very badly.

But while his mind wandered, Robin figured that he was going to have make the opening attack. Focusing on his training, he slowly raised his sword before quickly stabbing at the changeling's chest.

"Holy shit," Beast Boy shouted in surprise as he instinctively parried the strike away.

"Maybe you should learn to stop daydreaming and learn to focus better. Did you forget what's at stake already?" the boy wondered asked smirking as he made several jabs to test the water.

Defecting attacks again and again, Beast Boy did his ample best to circle around the mat and keep some distance between him and the boy wonder. He needed more time to think of a way to pull out a victory. But each time he managed to get enough space so as to have a few moments to come up with a plan, the boy wonder closed the distance and forced him to run away again. Any and all confidence that he had in winning was quickly fading and getting replaced with doubt. Everything he knew had been learned from old movies. Robin spent years training for moments like this. Defeat was inevitable. Hope was nothing but a lie.

"Don't you dare give up, Garfield," a harsh whispered reprimanded him. "Pull yourself together."

Whether it was by divine intervention of just pure luck, the changeling snapped out of his self-pity. When Robin swung again, he ducked. And that gave him an idea. Since the sparring mat was raised slightly higher than the rest of the floor, maybe he could make the boy wonder stumble long enough to get in one good shot. It was worth giving a shot. If that fell through, he could always remind himself that he had tried and hadn't let Robin get under his skin. But if it worked, he would be patting himself on the back for weeks for outplaying the boy wonder at his own game.

"Am I scaring you?" the changeling asked with a smile as he put his plan into practice.

Now placed on the defense, Robin unwittingly fell into the trap. Having expected an easy victory, he wondered if he underestimated his friend's intellect. From being running away to throwing himself into the match, the time the boy wonder had to look for a clean shot was more difficult. There were more of them, but they quickly switched from left to right to somewhere completely random. If he didn't do something quick, eventually one of the seemingly wild attacks was going to hit its intended target.

"Oh shit," the boy wonder said as half his foot slipped and ended up twisting his ankle. As he fell, he put both hands down to cushion his fall. But rather than allowing himself to be hit, he forfeited. He could not believe that he had gotten so distracted that he hadn't though that it was all a setup.

"I won? I won!" Beast Boy exclaimed, shocked to see his first win in months.

"Yeah," the humiliated Robin muttered under his breath as he soothed his ego. He wanted to look on the bright side, but when his plans had backfired, it was almost impossible. How could he have allowed himself to be outsmarted, and by Beast Boy of all people? It was supposed to be an easy victory, not a humiliating defeat. The day was definitely not going the way he had hoped it would.

"Wow…I didn't think that would actually work…"

"I got the idea already. Stop stroking yourself and go," the titan captain snapped as he forced himself back to his feet. Losing was bad enough. Listening to the changeling brag about it only made it worse.

Readily accepting his early vacation, Beast Boy wandered off towards the television to watch the midmorning movie. He thought that if he managed to relax and not think about anything, his brain would miraculous come up with the perfect apology. And it had to be perfect because he believed that since he had been so outlandish, he was going to have one chance to make it right. If it wasn't, if he failed, if what he said didn't convince Raven that he truly regretted what he said, it could be days or possibly weeks before she let him know he had been pardoned. That was something that he didn't want. He didn't want to think he'd be able to withstand an indeterminable amount of time wondering if he was back on the dark sorceress's good side or not. If nothing else, the team shouldn't have to suffer because of something he had said.

A million questions and several hours later, Beast Boy finally came up with the words that could articulate how badly he felt for snapping like he had. Now he just needed to convince Raven to listen to him. But the way she had looked at him throughout the day made him think that she wasn't the least bit interested in what he had to say. And if that was the case, if there was no way to persuade her that to give him just a few minutes time, all the time he spent trying to figure out what he wanted to say would be for nothing. There had to be a way around the conundrum. But how could he do that exactly? What could he do to say something to someone that seemed to be avoiding him?

Then it hit the changeling like a ton of bricks; Raven loved to read. There were three things that he could count on her doing every day outside of dealing with criminals: make and drink her tea, meditate for hours, and read something out of her library. So rather than trying to talk to the reclusive sorceress, he would write down everything he wanted to say, sign it under his real name, and slip the note under her bedroom door. Then she wouldn't be able to ignore him and maybe she'd even appreciate the method he chose. If not, she'd have to at least read what he scribbled down before disregarding it and throwing it in the trash, right?

But before Beast Boy had a chance to put pen to paper, the day's monotony was stripped away. No time to write everything down, he scribbled down a quick few words, crammed it under Raven's door, and rushed to meet up with the rest of the team.

"Nice of you to join us," Robin said without looking away from the computer monitor.

"I was busy planning my weekend since you're doing my chores," the shape shifter shot back, earning a scowl from the boy wonder.

"Do you two need to be put in a corner?" Cyborg asked, teasing the bickering titans.

"No," they answered in unison.

Beast Boy would have called jinx on the boy wonder if it wasn't for two things. First it was too childish. And second, the last time he did, Starfire started looking around for the enchantress and her crew. After she felt like she had been unnecessarily embarrassed, the Tameranean asked that any joke that could reference an enemy being in close proximity not be used in her presence. Why repeat an old joke that had bared bad results?

"Hello Robin," Slade said as he appeared on the computer screen.

"Slade," the boy down growled as he furrowed his brow and glared at his nemesis, "I knew you were behind this."

"Behind what?" the mastermind asked in a mocking tone. "I don't know what you're talking about. Don't you remember anything from being my apprentice about baseless accusations? You showed so much promised."

With the final taunt, the screen went blank and the boy wonder slammed both of his fists on the keyboard in frustration. If there was anyone that could get under his skin, it was Slade. Every time he thought he was getting close to unraveling the mystery, there was an unexpected twist that put him two steps back. No matter how many scenarios he tried to consider, there was always one that he missed. It was beginning to boil down to a matter of personal pride then firm justice. The only thing that held him back was the rest of the team. He was not going to make them die for his revenge.

"What was that about?" Beast Boy asked scratching his head.

"He's taunting me," Robin muttered. "He's trying to make me screw up."

"More likely he wants us to find him," Raven stated, speaking indirectly towards the boy wonder as she replayed the transmission.

"There," Cyborg said pointing at a sign in the background. "Enhance that."

Though it appeared blurry at first, the tower computer's recursive program enhanced the image of a sign in the background.

"What is this 'Station A'?" Starfire asked perplexed.

"It's a subway stop downtown," the titanium titan informed. "We can get there in about twenty minutes if traffic isn't bad."

Closer to twenty-five minutes later, the titans were making their way down the stairwell into the subway. It was quiet, too quiet for a place that normally swarmed with life. Taking it as a sign that Slade was still present and had probably taken the civilian population as hostages, the boy wonder insisted that they form a line behind him. They were going to have to move very quietly and very carefully if they were going to have a chance at surprising their foe. Such a thing had never happened before, but since Robin wanted to believe that he that his day had a silver lining, he fought to remain optimistic.

"Hold up," the boy wonder whispered over his shoulder, halting their miniscule progress. Reaching in his utility belt, he pulled out a small mirror to spy around the corner for any signs of life.

"What do you see, Robin?" Starfire asked in an equally hushed tone as she tried to look over his shoulder to see for herself.

"Nothing yet. Just wait a sec," the titan leader answered, praying that he didn't offend the Tameranean with his quick response.

"There," Cyborg pointed, "did you see that? I thought I saw something move over in the tunnel."

"I saw it too," Robin answered. "Ok team, there's no way we're going to surprise him. When I give the signal, surround him."

"Isn't that the same mistake you made last night?" Raven inquired, speaking the question on everyone's mind.

"Do you see another option? 'Cause I'm open to suggestions if you do," the fearless leader shot back indigently, feeling as though his authority was being challenged.

Taking the following silence as a confirmation of his plan, the boy wonder made sure the rest of the team was going to be in position when the order was given. Five, each of the titans made sure they had a clear path down the final stairs and towards Slade. Four, Robin reached for his staff and prepared several explosive discs for use, just in case several of robotic minions were hidden just out of view. Three, Starfire's hands and eyes glowed green and Cyborg deployed his hand cannon. Two, Beast Boy transformed into a cheetah and crouched down getting ready to lunge into an all-out sprint. One, Raven scanned the as much of the room as she could see and took count of what would become her ammunition. Zero, the signal was given and the five heroes came in a single wave to finally take their greatest nemesis down or at least ruin his plans.

But true to form, Slade had been waiting for them. With inhuman reflexes, he took off down one of the dark subway tunnels and leading the titans into trap. Once they were followed in far enough, they would be trapped, surrounded, and eradicated.

"Slade, you coward," Robin shouted in disgust as Beast Boy slowed down next to him. Mutating into a horse, he motioned for his leader to jump on his back which he did almost immediately.

Now able to focus solely on trying to prevent Slade from getting away, the boy wonder reached for the explosives he had tucked back in his belt. While he had no interest in using them to kill his nemesis, he figured they were still the perfect tools. He just needed to target the exact spot on the ceiling so the falling rubble would trap his greatest antagonist. First shot, too far ahead. Second shot, too far behind and Beast Boy had to go around or risk getting tripped up by the twisted rebar. Just as Robin was going to let the last disc fly, Slade exited the short tunnel and shot around the corner.

Almost as soon as the titans lost sight of their foe, the trap was sprung. Seemingly out of nowhere, large hydraulically powered doors began to close. It would only be a matter of seconds before the five heroes were entombed. If they didn't slip through the cracks, there was no way they would be able to make up for the lost time and Slade would vanish into the night.

"Damn it, Beast Boy. Run faster," the titan leader yelled, kicking his heels into the changeling's side.

"Don't you dare do that again… I swear...," Beast Boy thought wishing that he retained the ability to speak.

"I said…go faster!" Robin barked kicking even harder the second time around.

"You asked for this." Digging his front hooves into the ground, the shape shifter bucked his hind end.

Caught off guard, the boy wonder had no time to grab the changeling's mane. In a twisted way, he did get what he wanted; he moved faster and slipped through the crack. And just in time too. The heavy metal doors closed with the sound of thunder as the heels of his boots cleared.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Cyborg asked as soon as he caught up.

"Robin said he wanted to go faster," Beast Boy answered after he reverted from being a horse.

"You do realize that you could have killed him, don't you?" Raven asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Even if the two titans didn't get along all the time, that didn't warrant unnecessarily risking each other's lives.

"Yeah…I'm sorry," the shape shifter said bowing his head in shame.

"You got very lucky. Never do that again," the half demon stated flatly before she dropped the issue. Everything that had to be said had been said. He and Robin could discuss what had happened and why when they were back at the tower.

"We must assist Richard," Stafire interjected, fearing that the fearless leader might not be able to hold his ground against Slade and refocusing the team on the immediate problem standing in their way. With all the emotions that she could conjure, she punched the massive barrier believing that nothing would keep her away from the boy wonder. But no matter how badly she wanted to get through, the heavy steel doors held firm. Even after Cyborg fired his cannon several times, progress seemed to be minimal at best..

"Um…guys, I think we have another little problem here," Beast Boy stammered. Marching up behind the four titans were dozens, possibly even hundreds of mechanical zombies hell-bent on fulfilling their master's will.

Turning around to see what rattled his little brother's nerves, the titanium titan quickly assessed the situation and formulated a plan. Starfire would continue trying to reunite the team with Robin while he, Beast Boy, and Raven worked to keep the waves of approaching robots from overwhelming them. If things started to get too dicey or the Tameranean princess wasn't rapidly making very noticeable progress, all four titans would focus on obliterating the onslaught and make their way to the service exit. From there, they'd find an alternate route to their leader. It might not have been the best plan, but at least the titans had one.

Meanwhile, Robin was having it no better. Thanks to the multiple injuries he had sustained from being thrown from the shape shifter's back, he was having a difficult time keeping up with Slade's attacks. But he managed to do moderately well. Thoughts of how it could the final battle fueled his body with adrenaline. All the games that had been played, the mysterious clues that had been left for him to decipher, the relentless taunts would finally come to an end. Even better would be his name forever etched into the annuls of time, a hero that coming generations would aspire to.

But once Slade was finished, what would he go with all his newly acquired free time? Who, other than the criminal mastermind, had the methodology to keep him pushing himself both mentally and physically? The only question that the boy wonder didn't ask himself was if he had become so dependent, so manipulated he could never put the final nails in the coffin.

"You have become weak," Slade mocked. "You should come back and be my apprentice."

"I will never work for you!" Robin shouted.

Forcing himself to forget about what life would be like with his nemesis locked away in an inescapable prison, the boy wonder swung his staff with all the hatred and fury that coursed through his veins. The more he let his rage guide his actions, the more it seemed he was winning. Slow progress was being made until Slade was standing in the middle of a second set of tracks. And there it seemed the two mortal enemies would make their final stands against each other.

"Good, good. It seems you have remembered something from my training," the mysterious villain jokingly encouraged as he clashed weapons with the titan over and over again.

"What are you up to?" the boy wonder demanded to know.

Before Slade made another one of his snide comments, two events took place. The first was that the door that kept the other titans from helping their leader finally ripped open. And the second was the bright headlight of an oncoming train nearly blinding the two rivals. While Robin jumped back and made sure that he was out of harm's way, Slade remained perfectly still and challenged the boy wonder to stare death in the face. Either he thought he was invincible or there was a trick up his sleeve.

"You still have so much more to learn, Robin," the mastermind sneered just as the train appeared to run him over.

"No!" the boy wonder shouted.

Completely flabbergasted by what he thought he had just witnessed, the titan leader didn't notice his team come up behind him. Had Slade really gotten himself killed or did he just want to make a dramatic exit? Had he even been fighting the real Slade had it just been another mechanical copy? Was there anything to the taunting he received or was it just to shake him up?

"Holy shit," Beast Boy exclaimed, halting the boy wonder's questioning, "is he dead?"

"I doubt it," the titan leader answered.

"Are you feeling well, Richard? You appear distraught," Starfire stated with great concern.

"I'll be fine. I just need some time to…I'll be fine. What happened with you guys? Couldn't find another way around?" Robin asked changing the subject.

"We were tied up with Slade's soldiers," Cyborg answered.

"Well at least that's one threat down."

With very little left to talk about and no threats being called in, the decision was made that it was time for a late dinner.

But as they were walking back through the tunnel, Beast Boy allowed himself to fall behind the rest of the team. Part of him was feeling like he had failed the team. He should have been more then back to catch up with the criminal mastermind without any difficulty. Neither the rubble that had gotten in his way nor the head start Slade had should have made a difference. He had trained for such scenarios time and time again. Maybe skipping practice a few times came back to bite him in the ass. Hopefully that wouldn't be brought up over a pizza. Arguing about toppings with Cyborg was a much more enjoyable option.

"Hesitation breeds death, Robin," Slade shouted from behind the changeling. Without the slightest hint of hesitation, a blade was thrust through Beast Boy's back and out his chest. Knowing that the other titans would rather try saving their friend's life then stop him from getting away again, the murderous villain walked away from the bleeding titan with twisted sense of pleasure.

"Beast Boy…Beast Boy say something. Come on," the boy wonder said kneeling next to the changeling. "Raven, get us out of here now!"

Calming herself down, the half demon focused on teleporting everyone back to the tower, specifically back in the medical bay.

Once they had their friend lying on a gurney, Cyborg went straight to work, doing everything he could think of to save the changeling's life. But as much as he did, he wasn't sure if it was going to be enough. After hours of operating, the only thing the titanium titan could think of doing was making his little brother as comfortable as possible and tell the rest of the team that they might need to say their goodbyes. There was always the chance that the shape shifter's abnormal genetics could come through and ward off death. But that was just a theory and didn't warrant getting anyone's hopes up.

"Vic," Beast Boy choked momentarily waking up, "I'm…I'm I going to be ok?"

"Of course, you've been through worse things," Cyborg said trying to sound optimistic as he injected the changeling with another dose of pain killers before turning around. He could only imagine how boring and routine life at the tower could become. And he would never be able to work in his shop without remembering how fun it was to watch his friend trying to learn how cars worked and what tools were best suited for each task. Robin would lock himself away, spending all his time trying to avenge the changeling's death and his failure as a leader. Starfire would certainly never have the same cheerful disposition. No matter how much she pretended, the rest of the team would be able to see that she was forever shaken by the tragedy. And as for Raven, she would deal with the pain in her own way.

"Vic…" the shape shifter mumbled momentarily waking up from surgery.

"Yeah?" the cybernetic hybrid responded with several tears running down the side of his face as he finally managed to stabilize his friend for the time being.

"If…if I die, tell Raven I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. Tell her? Will you tell…her…?" Before he was able to finish his question, the changeling fell asleep again.

Fearing that those might very well be the last words he would ever hear his friend say, Cyborg lost what was left of his composer and cried. All the times he and Beast Boy had argued over pizza and other petty things ran through his mind. But along with those less than pleasant memories, he thought about how the two them had played videogames and pulled pranks on Robin day after day. He remembered how hard the changeling worked to make someone laugh at his antics or his poorly constructed jokes and puns. There were the moments that more effort was put into breaking up the monotony around the tower then was put into fighting practice. Someone like Beast Boy didn't deserve to be murdered by a coward's idea of a life lesson. That upbeat, carefree personality along with his unique ways of interacting with everyone in general entitled him to a warrior's death, the death of a true hero.

"I should have had your back," the titanium titan whispered as he placed a hand on the changeling.

"Victor," Raven softly said upon entering, several books cradled under one arm, "You have done everything you can. Go try getting some rest; you need it. I'll watch him and if anything happens, I will tell you know immediately."

Feeling worn down, the hybrid titan nodded as he headed for the door. Sitting around regretting wasn't going to change anything. Only time was a factor now. If Beast Boy lived, it would be a medical miracle. If he died, well then Slade would pay for it with his own life. There would be no sanction, no mercy, no remorse, no quarter given to a homicidal maniac. Any prison on earth was too good of a place for him. Better to put him in hell then allow the system to take its time in delivering justice. Who in their right mind would disagree?

"By the way," Cyborg said pausing at the door, looking over his shoulder, "Beast Boy wanted to tell you that he was sorry. I guess he felt bad about getting on your nerves with all those jokes of his."

"Thank you, Victor," the half demon answered as she looked down at the changeling's tranquil body. As she took a seat beside the bed, she felt that something wasn't quite right. The stab had gone straight through the left side of Beast Boy's chest, exactly where the heart should be located. But there was still a heartbeat. By all accounts, she should have been looked down at a corpse. Perhaps Slade had missed by the smallest fraction. Maybe the mysterious issue that had frustrated the shape shifter and caused him to throw a tantrum was more than just a scarring. Maybe, in a supernatural way, there was something trying to keep the titan from going through death's door.

Nevertheless, not wanting to put her faith into preposterous theory and end up severely disappointed, the dark sorceress reminded herself that life was a game of give and take. All she could do was accept what happened and react accordingly. If that meant speaking at her friend's funeral, then so be it. But before that moment came, there were things that she wanted to say while the changeling had even the remotest chance of surviving. With a deep breath, the half demon began getting a few burdens off her chest.

"Garfield," the dark sorceress whispered softly as she gently held one of his hands in hers, "Victor told me that you wanted to tell me you were sorry. I regret that I wasn't here for you to tell me yourself. But if you can hear me, I want you to know that I forgive you. Something happened and you were scared. I can understand that. Maybe I should have had a little more patience with you this morning and I'm sorry that I didn't."

Taking a moment to recite her mantra to keep her emotions under her control, Raven looked towards the door to assure herself that she had more time alone with the changeling. While she wouldn't have cared if the rest of the team heard her apologize, they didn't need to know what else she wanted to say. That information was for present company only.

"I also want you to know that I tried to figure out what happened to you last night. I haven't found much yet, but I did learn something interesting about your scar. It's identical to the crest of a secret society called 'The Order of the Dragon'. They were warriors that defended their country in the dark ages. And I honestly believe that it suits you perfectly. You…you are very brave and spent your life protecting people. But you're more than just brave, Garfield. You also tried to make people happy and see them smile, especially me. I might never be able to express myself very well, but I do appreciate what you tried to do."

Pausing for a second time, Raven checked the monitors to make sure that the changeling hadn't started taking a turn for the worse. Not only was he still holding strong, the dark sorceress believed that there were signs he was improving. When she had first come in, she noticed that his breathing seemed to be hurting him. Now it was relaxed. Perhaps the outrageous idea that mystical properties were at work wasn't so outrageous after all. Beast Boy's misfortune might actually be a blessing.

"When Terra ran out on you," the empathetic titan resumed as she tightened her grip on the shape shifter's hand, "I'll admit that I had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I felt sorry for you. She led you to believe that you two were going to be together forever and nothing could change that. Then she just threw you away like you never mattered to her. But on the other hand, I was glad to see her go. You were too good for her. She didn't deserve you…"

Tightening her grasp on the shape shifter's hand, Raven felt herself becoming extraordinarily tense. The several objects starting to crack around the room tried to warn her that her emotions were not going to allow her to finish what she had begun safely. But she had already come so far, why should she quit now? By hell or high water, she was going to shed her illusion of not wanting a meaningful relationship.

"What I'm trying to tell you is that I love you, Garfield. I love you and I don't want to lose you like this. You have everything I could hope for. You're brave, honest, loyal, caring, and you always try to make people happy. But what matters the most to me is that you won't let my problems keep you away. No matter what I say to you, you keep coming back. I need that. I need to know if…if you do that because you feel the same way about me. Do you? Do you love me, Garfield? Do you love me as much as I love you?"

Finishing what was tantamount to a soliloquy, there dark sorceress committed herself to watching the changeling's vital signs while continuing to hope for the best. Still, there had to be something else she could do to help pass the time. At a glance, meditation seemed like the obvious choice. However, since she had gotten a burden off of her heart, her emotions appeared to calm down on their own. Sleeping wasn't a choice either; she had essentially assured Cyborg that if anything happened, he would be told immediately. That promised couldn't be kept if she spent the time dreaming. A third option was trying to shed more light on Beast Boy's insignia. She had brought a couple books with her, so why not put them to good use? Maybe some new information was just around the corner, waiting to be discovered.

As Raven put off sleep and continued to search her books for more answers, Beast Boy was dreaming that he was in a museum that had him the center of interest. To the left and to the right, the paintings hung on the walls highlighted major events in his life. Whether it was a little boy crying because his parents had been victims of misfortune or that of his adoptive father disappointed in one thing or another, each one reminded him where he had been and how far he had come. The more he searched, the more he found. Even things that he thought were unimportant at the time they happened were shown in a new light.

"Amazing work, isn't it?"

Turning around, Beast Boy saw a well-dressed man sitting in a chair, a newspaper tucked under his arm. He had dark brown eyes, jet black hair, a light tan, and looked to be about a foot taller than the changeling. And for whatever reason, he appeared to have been waiting for the shape shifter to show up, just as another shadowy figure had done in another dream.

"Who are you?" the green titan asked, surprised to see another soul.

"Nobody important, just the keeper," the man answered as he got up from his seat.

"Well, can you tell me why this room is taped up?" Beast Boy asked pointing just a little farther down the hallway.

"Simple. It's currently incomplete."

"Well…when is it going to be finished?"

"When you breathe your last breath," the cryptic curator answered with a devilish grin.

"You mean…but didn't I…"

"No, it is not yet time for me to harvest your soul, Garfield," the warden answered sounding disappointed that he had to wait for another time. As he finished his sentence, the illusion he portrayed faded like smoke in the wind. The dark eyes sank back into his skull and were quickly replaced by hellfire. His flesh decomposed until there was nothing but sheer white bones. The impeccable tuxedo became a long black robe with the hood covering where the man's hair had fallen out. And in his hands, he held a scythe with dried blood on the blade.

Shaken to his core, Beast Boy did the only thing he found reasonable, run away. If the avatar of death decided to change its mind, he wasn't going to be anywhere nearby. But just as he thought he had managed to escape the maze of hallways and corridors, he reached a dead end. Turning around to find another route, he realized that he had put no distance between himself and the creature he was trying to escape. Without a way around, there was only one option left, beg to be let go.

"Not…your…time," the angel of death spoke with a voice that shook the very foundations of the earth. With those words, it slammed the handle of its scythe into the flood three times. First strike, Beast Boy fell back on his back, his head slamming against the wall. Second strike, the world around him faded to darkness. Third and final strike, he opened his eyes for the first time in nearly seventy-two hours.

The first thing that the changeling felt when he woke up was a huge sense of relief. The second was intense pain radiating from his chest. While it was better than the alternative, the agony called for resolution. The solution he thought of, morphine. It seemed to be the answer in the movies so why not for him as well? Obviously he couldn't self-administer, he needed one of his friends to be so kind as to relieve his suffering.

"Vic…anyone...oh damn…," he grimaced, unable to finish his request as the agony seemed to increase exponentially with every second that passed by.

As though the heavens heard his please, soft hands put delicate pressure on his wound as the pain relinquished.

"Thanks…" the changeling mumbled, finally able to open his eyes, "Raven?"

"Who did you think it was?" the dark sorceress responded in her very even tone, hiding the joy she was feeling seeing her friend wake.

"I dunno, I'm just surprised you're here."

"Why?"

"Because of what I said yesterday…" the shape shifter said looking away from the apathetic sorceress.

"First, that was three days ago," Raven corrected. "And second, I've forgiven you. I had to. If for no other reason, I can't hold a grudge without endangering you and everybody else."

"Oh…" was all that the changeling managed to say, surprised to find out that he had been unconscious for so long. What had felt like just seconds to him had to have been three days of anxiety for his friends. It made him wonder what else had happened. Had Robin been able to catch up to Slade and exact some revenge? How many problems had his involuntary leave caused? But the most immediate question, why was Raven watching him instead of Cyborg? He had the medical training, not her.

"Raven, don't take this wrong but, where's Vic?" the changeling asked as he fought to sit up.

"He and everyone else went to get lunch. They should be back in half an hour," the dark sorceress answered as she wondered how she could steer the conversation in a direction she wanted. From the way the shape shifter was behaving, he hadn't heard anything she had told him about being forgiven, his scar, or her feelings for him. She was going to have to build up the nerve a second time. If saying everything while he was sleeping was difficult, she could only imagine how tough it would be to say it while he was awake. At least she had some practice.

"You're not hungry?" Beast Boy asked as he adjusted the pillow, cushioning his back as he sat up.

"I stayed to make sure nothing went wrong. And besides that, I think we have things to talk about," Raven responded, wanting to switch the subject from food to something much more interesting, them.

"I was hoping Vic would have…" the changeling began before being cut off.

"He did. And you left a note," Raven interrupted with the faintest of grins, the shadow cast by her hood barely hiding it.

"Oh…so…will you forgive me?" Beast Boy asked hopefully.

"Garfield, I forgave you before you asked me to. I can't hold a grudge without risking my life and everybody else's."

"Thanks. It makes me feel a little better. Still wish I hadn't yelled though."

"You were scared and I sense that you still are."

"Yea, I couldn't figure anything out…maybe you could…?"

"I already did. I have some good news, some bad news, and a few questions," the empathetic titan answered, practically reading the question off the changeling's face. "What do you want first?"

"The bad, might as well get that over with," Beast Boy said hanging his head. When Raven said 'bad news', he thought that it had to do with the Armageddon or something along those lines. It didn't occur to him that it was more of a double-edged blade.

"The bad news is…I believe the scar on your hand means you're cursed," Raven said cutting to the chase.

"Cursed? What's going to happen to me? Do I turn into a pumpkin or something at midnight?" the changeling questioned, frightened by the news but trying to get himself to laugh to keep his spirits up.

"No, you aren't going to turn into a vegetable."

"Good, I'm already a couch potato," Beast Boy chuckled, finding a joke that made him feel a little better even though he felt his hand tremble in fear.

"I can appreciate your attempts to laugh it off, but this is serious, Garfield," the dark sorceress responded with a very even tone that made the changeling sober up instantly. She would later admit that he had been funnier than usual. But now wasn't a time for jokes; it was a time to deal with a very serious reality

"I'm sorry, Raven," the changeling said with a mix of embarrassment, regret, and fear in his eyes. "What's going to happen?"

"I believe that somehow you've become a vampire. I know they are only supposed to be myths, but with everything that happened, I can't find any other suitable explanation. For example, the scar on your hand corresponds to a group called 'The Order of the Dragon'. They were an ancient secret society in the dark ages. And one of the most well-known members was a man now known as Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula."

"What? No, you're lying to me. Please tell me you're lying. I can take a joke," Beast Boy begged as he felt warm tears streak down his face. If Raven was telling him the truth like she always did, and what he saw in movies had any basis to them, then his life was going to be completely turned on upside down. There wouldn't be any more fun playing football or any other sports with Cyborg. No more having fun on the beaches. He wouldn't even be able to keep his job. All those activities took place during the day, when the sun was out. What was he going to do with his life? Read a book? That had put him in the position he was in now. Watch movies and play videogames until his brain turned to mush? Even though he liked spending time in front of a screen, he would lose his mind after just a few weeks.

"Garfield," Raven said empathizing with his pain, "I know it's difficult to accept. But it's not all bad news. It's probably why you're still alive. You can use it to help you."

"I can't even go outside," the changeling shouted, not in anger but in grief. "How can I do anything if I can't even go outside anymore?"

"Do you want me to prove you wrong?" the dark sorceress asked pointing at the curtains that keep the sunlight out.

"How're you going to do that?"

"Let in some sunlight."

Staring at the fabric that could be saving him from being killed, he thought about what he had to lose. The team had managed without him. As much as that hurt, they would have to no matter what he chose to do. Become a recluse and go crazy or risk his life and end up dying just after he had dodged a bullet. At the end of the day, his curiosity was going to get the best of him anyways.

"I'm going to find out sooner or later. Go ahead," the shape shifter answered giving a nod and preparing himself for a painful death. But rather than feeling like he was being burned alive, gentle heat danced across his face affecting only his tears. Relieved, he began to go into hysterics.

"Feeling better? I told you there was good news and bad news," Raven stated with a sense of satisfaction and relief.

"How come I… I mean how did you …uh…"

"How did I know you would be alright? Victor left the curtains open the whole time you were asleep. I closed them when they left so I could mediate."

"So…what happens to me now? I mean can I just live normally?"

"Except for adding something to your diet," the dark sorceress answered, "you can live normally."

"What wrong with what I…oh…you mean…that," the changeling mumbled with disappointment once he realized what Raven was talking about. While he didn't know much, he figured it was safe to assume that people would have to die for him to feed. His entire life had been dedicated to the protection of the innocent. How could he save a life, watch his friends walk off, and have a snack behind everyone's back? Wouldn't red flags be raised if corpses with two puncture holes in their necks with no blood left in their bodies started showing up after he woke up? Or worst of all, what if he was caught red-handed? He couldn't pretend to be a hero while being a murderer.

"No…no…I don't want to be a monster," Beast Boy said looking more frightened than ever.

"Garfield," the dark sorceress said placing a hand on his shoulder, "you're not a monster. What you do determines whether you are or aren't. Look at me. If anyone on the team is, it's me. I'm the daughter of a demon that wants to completely annihilate life."

"But you're good. I can't be if I need to kill people to survive. I'd rather die than hurt people," Beast Boy reasoned.

"I figured out your situation. Don't you think that I would find a way for you to satisfy your unnatural thirst without needing to hurt anyone?"

"Y-you did? Really?" the changeling asked feeling a hint of hope. "What is it?"

"You need to drink blood, not hurt people. And we have plenty of that stored for the transfusions we never have. Use that," the sorceress suggested.

"Is that safe? I mean…won't they find out? You won't tell them?"

"I was the one to recommend it so I'm just as guilty as you. Your secret is safe with me. I haven't told anyone else about what happened and I promise I never will. It's your decision to let them know or not."

"Raven…I really don't know what to say. I mean…you figured all this out for me and…I don't think I could ever thank you enough," Beast Boy stated with an excessive amount of gratitude. And feeling in a good mood again, he thought it would be a good idea to see if he could get Raven to laugh for old time's sake. So grabbing one of the blankets he had been sitting on, he hung it over his arm, brought it in front of his face just below his eyes, and stole the stereotypical laugh from classic movies.

Biting the inside of her bottom lip, Raven managed to keep herself from laughing. However, her grin did not escape the changeling's sight the second time around. And while he didn't make a comment, his eyes sparked with glee.

"Garfield," the dark sorceress said as her smile faded, "I had said that I had questions for you. Since you want thank me, would you mind answering them for me?"

Perplexed, Beast Boy started at Raven with an empty expression on his face. He had assumed that when she mentioned she had questions, he would answer them indirectly either from what he said or how he acted. Actually being asked for answers didn't really happen too often. But if that's what the dark sorceress wanted from him, why not? It was nothing compared to what she had done for him.

"Sure, I guess," the changeling shrugged.

Taking a deep breath, Raven whispered her mantra to buy her a little time. She could already feel her demon screaming at her to stop or suffer the ramifications. But that wasn't going to stop her. She had waited too long and gone through far too much to crumble under her father's demands.

"When I insulted Terra and you yelled at me, was it because you still want her to come back?" Raven asked choosing her words carefully. If she was going to put her emotions at risk, she had to be sure that he would stay with her instead of going back to the geomancer in the event she did suddenly show up.

"Uh," Beast Boy was completely caught off guard. It was such a random question that he couldn't figure out where she was coming from. "Well…I mean I would still think of her as a friend, I guess. But I don't think we could have anything. You and Cy helped me move on. I wouldn't forgive myself if I let her hurt me like that again. Why?"

"What if someone else wanted you to love her? Could you give her a chance?"

"You trying to hook me up, Rae?" the changeling said laughing as he swung his legs over the bed, sat up straight, and cracked his back a couple times. This day was going from frightening, to outrageous, to just plain strange. But if there was anyone person that always had his best interest at heart, it was Raven. So if she thought there was someone that would be good for him, why not give it a chance? If it didn't work, he could always say that he had been set up.

"Well, before you introduce me to her, can you tell me what to expect? What's she like? Is she pretty?" Beast Boy questioned.

"I think you'd find her good looking. She's honest, fairly intelligent, and she won't mind to find out you're a vampire."

"Well that's a major plus," the changeling piped up. "What's her name? I mean she sounds great. When can I meet her, soon?"

"You sure?" the dark sorceress asked. She knew the answer, but her life was either going to take a turn for the best or she was going to be trapped in her prison.

"Hell yeah, Raven. I mean if she's as great as you say, I'd be an idiot to say no. I mean I know I can be stupid but not that stupid. Tell me her name. Tell me her name," the shape shifter said getting anxious.

"Raven," the empath answered without the slightest hint of emotion.

"Really, she has the same name as…you? You love me?" Beast Boy asked coming to the realization that he had been listening to the sorceress describe herself. She had flattered herself a little, but not to such an extreme that it was misleading. She was all the things she mentioned.

"Yes," the sorceress answered as she bowed her head, feeling like she was being rejected. But for her sake, she was going to make a final plea. "I know that it's hard for you to believe. I know you think that I'm the last person to think of you like that. But I do. I fought myself over and over again. I didn't want to accept it. I thought that it would mean that I wouldn't be able to control my powers and I'd become too dangerous. But when we thought we lost you, the only thing I could think of was how I never took a chance to tell you how I felt. I had to tell you as soon as you woke up. It's why I'm here while everyone went to get lunch. I asked Victor to go instead of me because I thought that if you woke up when they were gone, I'd get a chance to talk to you alone without the others wondering what was going on. If you don't feel the same way…I understand. You probably think it's foolish to believe we could ever have anything. We're almost completely opposite of each other in every way. I have never asked you to give me anything, Garfield, but I'm asking you to give me a chance."

Having put her heart in Beast Boy's hands, she waited to see what he did with it. Would he let her down gently and pass on her offer? Would he laugh, crush her spirit, and say that they were just too different? Or maybe, say yes? Words could never express how much she wanted to hear him say 'yes'.

"Raven, Raven don't cry," Beast Boy said jumping to his feet. Stumbling a little from having been off his feet so long, he regained his balance and grabbed both of the dark sorceress shoulders as she tried to look her squarely in the eyes.

"I'm not…but the last time I told someone I love them, they rejected me. I thought you'd be different, Beast Boy," the mysterious half demon answered as she maintain just enough control to keep from crying.

Whilst trying to say something that would make the sorceress calm down and keep from losing control, Beast Boy knew what was at stake. It was just that he never thought of her in such a way. She had always been a great friend to him, but now he was seeing her as a beautiful woman.

But she wasn't just gorgeous. When it came to tempers, it was no contest of who gave him the most chances. Robin gave only a few before snapping and belittling him, usually in private but sometimes in front of the entire team as well. Stafire was the type that was patient until a certain point but would never said exactly what he had done wrong when she was upset. Plus, she often ignored him until he managed to figure it out. And as for Cyborg, well as they did have a sibling relationship, it depended on what exactly had been done. When it got really bad, almost all the videogames would disappear for roughly a week, which was about how much time it took for the titanium titan to forgive the really annoying things.

Raven on the other hand, did none of those things. Sure she got angry with him. Sometimes they had more fights with each other than they did with criminals. But no matter how many times he annoyed he annoyed her with bad jokes or wild antics, she never forgave without seeing revenge. He loved how merciful she was. He loved how she was calm even in the most stressful situations. He loved the support she gave when someone else got on his case. He loved the fact she never lied to him. There were more things he could list, but he preferred to give an answer before either one of them died from old age.

"Raven," he whispered as he gingerly placed a hand under her chin and made her raise her eyes to meet his, "I love you too."


	5. Chapter 5

Heading back to the tower after an unintentionally lengthy lunch break, Cyborg was becoming increasing upset with how his day was heading. It had started off well enough, waking up well rested despite being worried sick about his friend needing emergency medical care at a moment's notice. But between having a heated argument with Robin about how the team might have to proceed without Beast Boy and being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, he just wanted to get back home and relax. Whether that meant tinkering in his workshop, watching television, playing videogames, or just sitting around doing nothing, he did not care. If there was no emergencies he needed to attend to, the others would have to deal without him for a few hours. After all, the past few days had earned him a well-deserved break.

In the meantime, while he waited for the light to turn green again, he reflected on the debate he had had with the boy wonder. Robin had insisted that if Beast Boy perished or decided to leave the team because of his near-death experience, the team needed to find someone to take his place. It wasn't because he felt that the changeling was easy to replace. Rather, it revolved around the team's tradition of having five members. As time had gone by, the number became ingrained in the strategies and tactics used on missions, especially the ones that dealt with Slade. While Robin went hand to hand with his nemesis, the other four protected his flanks. That's how it had been for years and that's how it was going to stay.

Cyborg, while he had initially agreed that it sounded like a good idea, thought it ignorant to think that they could find anyone that could fill the green titan's shoes. First of all, other than Beast Boy, they had never met anyone that could transform into any animal he desired to be on a whim. That ability alone provided the team with support no matter what the situation was. If they need some reconnaissance done, the changeling could do that without ever being noticed. Extra strength came in the form of a bear, bull, or gorilla. Even traversing the oceans wasn't a problem providing the team didn't mind sitting in a whale's mouth. And that was barely scratching the surface of what Beast Boy did for the team.

Secondly, Beast Boy did just as much at the tower as he did on the battlefield by providing his unusual and sometimes devious sense of comedy. No matter how underappreciated it was, he always went above and beyond the norms to get his friends to laugh and forget their problems for just a few minutes. And if he didn't succeed with the jokes, the pranks he pulled often did. What made them funny often wasn't the fact that he managed to pull them off without being noticed, it was that anyone could be the target. Even Starfire had learned to appreciate the humor instead of getting angry and ignoring the team jester. Once again, the changeling was irreplaceable and bringing in someone to take his place seemed illogical.

Third, how could Robin expect whoever they selected to join the team was going to be able to tolerate the extreme differences in personalities? Sometimes it frustrated the original five so much that it seemed that the only thing that kept the united were the missions. Raven preferred isolation so she could meditate in peace or otherwise keep her emotions from harming her friends. Starfire favored being very outgoing, trying new interesting things, and learning about different customs. The boy wonder kept himself emotionally distant while always demanding that every drop of blood, sweat, and tears be put into each and every mission. And Cyborg liked to have a group of friends that were more like a family, ever if it was very dysfunctional. Wasn't it ignorant to believe that anyone could deal with that? It had taken them all years to get along was well as they did. Surely it was better to have the original four since they already knew what was expected. If a potential fifth did come along, fine. They could deal with it then. But they should go looking for someone to fill the role simply for tactical advantages.

But what really got Cyborg upset with the boy wonder was that there seemed to be underwriting theme that Beast Boy wasn't going to remain a titan whether he lived or died. How could Robin assume that? If anyone else was in the changeling's shoes and they survived, wouldn't they want to stay on the team at least until they got to get some payback? What was with the urgency of looking for a potential titan? Wasn't that a little arrogant, believing that someone else was going to decide another person's choice? As far as Cyborg was concerned, no serious talk to have taken place until the shape shifter was put in a pine box and buried six feet under. End of story.

Jogged from his thoughts by the horns of angry drivers behind him, the titanium titan stepped on the gas and turned onto the private road that would take him directly to his garage. With nothing but a few short miles of pavement between him and home, he began to wonder how the changeling was doing. He hadn't heard anything from Raven, it should have been easy to assume that everything had been holding constant. After all, if something had happened, good or bad, the dark sorceress would have called him, right? Maybe she had tried calling him and he missed it because he was so distracted between driving and being upset with the boy wonder. Whatever happened, he was about to know soon enough. He was home.

The sound of thunderous footsteps filling the hallway as he ran to the medical bay, Cyborg tried desperately to get Raven to answer her communicator. But after several attempts and getting no response, he gave up on the idea. And he was beginning to believe that Robin might have been right to look for a replacement. Surely the dark sorceress wouldn't have kept ignoring him unless something tragic had happened. Perhaps she was too deep into meditation to hear the incoming calls. Maybe she had momentarily dozed off. She had been the only other titan that could bear seeing a friend on the brink of death. The long hours might have caught up with her. Or there could be any number of other reasons she wasn't answering, such as the batteries needed to be recharged and she hadn't noticed yet; all perfectly understandable and reasonable reasons why he didn't get an answer. No need to get so worked up.

"Oh shit…" the titanium titan shouted as he saw the bed Beast Boy had been resting on. There was nothing, no sign of the changeling anywhere. The only thing that suggested he had even been there were few bloodstained strips of gauze that were hanging over the trashcan.

"What happened?" Cyborg murmured as someone tapped his shoulder from behind.

"Looking for someone?" a voice nonchalantly asked.

"Grass stain?" the mechanical hybrid spun around and pulled his little brother into a bear hug before holding him at arm's length and looking him over as though to make sure he wasn't seeing a ghost. "How…how are you up and walking around?"

"I got out of bed," the changeling answered with a grin, joking as though he had just dealt with nothing more than a bad cold. He knew it had been more serious than that, but part of him just wanted to forget the whole thing and move on with his life, a very interesting life with a very interesting woman.

"You went through hours of surgery, practically died on the table before being revived, and slept for three days. Now you're just walking around like…like…"

"Like I was never turned into a shish kabob?" Beast Boy joked again. "I know; it's weird isn't it?"

"How can you joke about nearly dying?"

"It's a gift," the changeling said smirking.

Silence coming over both titans as Cyborg started in amazement at miraculous recovery, Beast Boy wondered if he should be a little more forthcoming with what had happened and how he survived. But just as he thought to open his mouth, he felt very uneasy with the idea and kept silent. He still barely accepted being a vampire himself; how could he expect his best friend to take his announcement seriously? Maybe in the future, when he was comfortable with his condition, he would make a broad announcement to all his friends. Surely it would be better to tell everyone all together then just one at a time. He could only imagine how it would look to be running room to room looking for his friends and making formal statements about becoming a creature of legend, a stereotypically malicious one at that.

Or maybe he wouldn't say anything about it at all. It was his secret and it was his decision if he wanted his friends to know or not. After all, it was his life. They didn't control him. And how would they treat him if they knew? Would they still think of him as the changeling that tried to make everything into a joke? Would his friends turn their back on him and tell him that he was no longer welcome? Or would it be like the old black and white films where people grabbed anything they could get their hands on and attempt to kill the 'evil monster'? As well as he knew the team's personalities, he had no idea how they'd react. For now, he'd keep the truth between himself and his girlfriend.

"By the way, do you know where Raven is?" Cyborg asked. "I tried to call her on her communicator but I didn't get any answer."

"In her room maybe? I haven't seen her since I got up," the changeling answered with a shrug.

"Alright, I'll have to ask her later," the mechanical titan responded, figuring the half-demon was focused on her meditation. "Hey, since you seem to be good as new, think you'd be up for a movie marathon tonight?" he continued before heading off to relax before any trouble hit the city.

"Popcorn, soda, the works?" Beast Boy asked, always up for a party or just having a good time.

"Definitely."

"You bet," the shape shifter nodded, affirming the plan.

"Good. We'll catch up later. I really just want to lie down."

"Sure, see ya later dude," the changeling said before the two titans parted ways and went along with their day.

Meanwhile, Robin was stuck nearly waist deep in a pile of clothes. After leaving Cyborg at the pizza parlor, he had a lapse in judgment and agreed to go shopping with Starfire. Now he was willing to do just about anything to take back that decision because from the looks of things, he was going to be walking around the mall for several hours. As much as he wanted to make sure that he didn't do anything to upset the alien princess, he longed for some distress call. Or even someone screaming that they were being robbed. Anything was better than watching the Tameranean try on the tenth outfit.

"What is your opinion on this?" Stafire asked cheerfully, considering the little outing to be a step away from a real date.

"Its fine," Robin answered, trying to mask his boredom and doing surprisingly well.

"What about this one?" the Tameranean asked holding up a yet another outfit.

"Its fine, too," the boy wonder answered as he caught the frustration on the princess's face. At first he thought it was directed at him, but when she went back to trying to find something that really stood out, he figured it was just because she hadn't found what she was looking for.

"Richard, do you truly have an opinion or are you merely trying to say something nice?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Um…" Robin didn't really know what to say. If he said that he had no real opinion, Starfire could get very upset with him or extraordinarily disappointed. Either way, he would end up having a very long walk back to the tower. But if he said he was just trying to be nice, she might take it as her not looking good in any of her choices which simply wasn't true. Fashion simply wasn't he was good at. He had fourteen full uniform sets and a tuxedo that he wore on very rare occasions. So to save face, and maybe himself from a few broken bones, he went with the second option the Tameranean had offered him.

"I'm just trying to be nice. You look good in all of 'em, Star," the boy wonder answered as though it was just a given fact, no real emphasis behind it.

"You are very kind, Richard," the princess beamed. "Perhaps later we shall have a meal together?"

"You mean like a date?" Robin asked nervously.

"Yes, I would very much enjoy that. Would you enjoy taking me on a date?"

Once again, the boy wonder wasn't' sure what course of action he should take. He was sure that if he flat-out rejected the notion, he would hurt Starfire's fragile emotions. On the other hand, if he said 'yes', he wouldn't have a chance to get any work done. And deep down, he really did want to indulge the princess and try having a life outside the tower for at least one night. It would get him to relax, loosen up a little, get a new perspective, and maybe give him the break he needed to him get over his failure as the team's leader. Everyone was going to need something to help them deal in the event Beast Boy didn't make it. Maybe this was the method he was supposed to choose.

But on the other hand, he believed that his responsibility called for him to make the greatest sacrifices for the sake of the team. Surely it was his sworn oath to keep the city and its inhabitants safe, even if it cost him his life. And what if a catastrophe occurred while he was out having a good time, one that could have been prevented if he had been doing his job? Or what if Slade used emotional ties against him or even worse, Starfire? For both their sakes, he had to refuse. But he would say it in a nice way, perhaps even promising that it could happen at a later time when Slade could no longer use it against him.

"Richard," the Tameranean asked in a very slow, somber tone when the boy wonder seemed to be completely lost in thought, "do you wish to not spend time with me?"

"Kori, I really want too," Robin began as he saw the excitement sparkle in Starfire's emerald eyes. It pained him to finish but he wasn't going to give a false impressed. He had decided that it would be far too dangerous, that it too many lives could be put at risk; the stunningly beautiful princess needed to understand where he was coming from. "But right now, I just can't do it. I need to find Slade and make him pay for what he did to Beast Boy. I promise I'll make it up to you later."

"Yes, we should," the Tameranean agreed, completely disheartened as she put her selections back on the rack. When the boy wonder had agreed to go to the mall with her, she thought that it was the perfect opportunity to break past his defenses. And truth be told, the only reason she really wanted his opinion was because she had hoped that something would catch his eye and would enjoy seeing her wear on a date. Now those dreams seemed to be as distant as ever. No matter how hard she tried, the answer always seemed to be the same. Was she just wasting her time? Should she turn her attention to someone else? She could only wait so long. Maybe she wouldn't allow Robin to make good on that promise.

"You can still buy something, Star," the boy wonder said as he grabbed the princess's wrist hoping that by showing he still like her choices, he would mend any wounds he inadvertently caused.

"I no longer wish to make a purchase today, Richard. Let us return home. Perhaps good news awaits us there," Starfire answered as she put the last dress back on the hanger before walking out of the store. And while part of her wanted to leave Robin to find his own way back home, she grabbed him under both arms and carried him back to the tower.

When they reached the tower, Starfire noticed Raven meditating near the edge of the rooftop. While it wasn't unusual for the empathetic titan to spend a significant amount of time up there, it wasn't the right time of day. Normally she would only meditate there between noon and two o'clock unless there was an argument going on downstairs. But seeing as how Robin had been the one to fight with Cyborg earlier, the Tameranean didn't understand why her friend wouldn't be inside. Unless maybe Beast Boy was awake? Did he and Victor get into a scuffle that made her want be as far away as possible without leaving the tower's relative isolation? It might hold true, assuming that the changeling had recovered from his wounds.

"Friend," Starfire said setting the boy wonder down at the roof's entrance into the tower before sitting next to the dark sorceress, "why are you here?"

"Privacy," Raven answered matter-of-factly as she opened one eye to stare at the alien sitting beside her.

"Beast Boy is well? Has he fought with Victor?"

"Beast Boy is fine. And no, he didn't fight with Victor."

"That is wonderful to hear. I am glad to know that we did not lose a friend."

Confused at her friend's lack of conversation and subdued emotions after hearing her friend was doing well, the half-demon opened her other eye and turned to see if she could glean clues from the princess's eyes and expressions. Something definitely wasn't right. After spending time alone with Robin, she should have been more excited than when she discovered mixing mustard and whip cream to make a 'delicious' waffle topping. But her face looked completely void of that joy. She appeared to be disappointed and verging on the edge of anger.

"What's wrong, Kori?" Raven asked sighing. "You're going to want to talk to me about it eventually so just say it now."

"It is Richard," Starfire answered, interlacing her fingers, touching the tips of her thumbs, and appearing to be remembering something saddening.

"What did he do?" the dark sorceress pried. Experience had taught her that while her friend wanted help, she often needed to ask the right questions to get her side of the story. And more often than not, it was all she needed to hear to give accurate suitable advice.

"We went shopping together, Richard and me. I asked him if he would like to join me after he and Victor argued about what should happen if Beast Boy was to no longer be with us. When he agreed, I thought that perhaps he would like one of the dresses I wished to purchase. But I asked him for his opinion but he seemed to not care. He then stated I appeared beautiful in all my selections."

Stopping short of saying what was weighing her down heart, Starfire looked over at her friend with the hold that she had said enough. But the look in the half-demon's eyes told her she was going to have to finish the rest of the story. Audibly sighing, the Tameranean resumed.

"He said they all looked beautiful on me. I believed that he meant to say he would like to go on a date. But when I asked if that was what he wished to do, he said I must to wait until later. It seems that is always the answer. How long must I wait? Am I wishing for a love that I will never possess?"

As she took her time to come up with an answer that would both encourage and comfort the alien princess, the dark sorceress felt a growing sense of guilt and pity. First and foremost, the advice she had offered the last time to aid her friend hadn't worked. Secondly, while she might have struggled with her emotions and waited a long time to tell the changeling what she really thought of him, she hadn't dealt with trying repeatedly to the affection she sought. Starfire had been chasing Robin for years, always hoping that the next time she asked the answer would be the one she wanted to hear. Why was her friend still so taken by the boy wonder? How could she be so unwilling to look for someone else that could appreciate her as a woman instead of a warrior after such a long time? What made her remain so patient? At some point, enough had to be enough.

But while she felt a mix of sympathy and disappointment towards the princess, Raven's rage burned towards the boy wonder. And try as she might, she couldn't understand how he could pride himself on being an example others should aspire to while simultaneously torturing a woman's heart. If he didn't care for her like she wanted, why couldn't he just come out and say it? What was the point of making excuses every time it looked like things would become serious? Did he do it out of fear? Had he become so emotionally detached that he couldn't see the harm he was causing? Why couldn't he stop playing games and let her friend move on with her life? He might be a good leader and a brave warrior, but it seemed that he had sold his soul for all his acclaim.

Emotions set aside, the empathetic titan believed that the right choice was going to be the most difficult. And while it was going to hurt for the moment, in the long run it would yield the best results. Her friend needed to stop her advances on the boy wonder. Perhaps it would make Robin think about what he was missing out on. Maybe he'd realize that he couldn't keep pushing things off and think that it would be there when he thought he was ready. If nothing else, at least Starfire could begin seeking a companion that loved her in the way she desired.

"You're not going to like my answer, Kori," Raven answered after an extended period of silence.

"You think that I should no longer wait for Richard. Am I correct?" the alien princess asked feeling close to tears.

Grateful for the half hour of mediation, the dark sorceress clarified her position on the issue. "I think that you should stop telling him. If you decide that he's not worth waiting for anymore, I don't think anyone would blame you. But I think the most reasonable explanation Richard doesn't take it as seriously as you is because he knows you're willing to wait. Make him take the next step. If he really wants to be with you, he has to show it."

"You believe that there is hope Richard will love me?" Starfire inquired.

"I think he already does. But until he has to choose between you or his job, nothing's going to change."

"I thank you for your willingness to again assist me in this matter, friend. I hope that one day I may be able to repay you for all your kindness," the Tameranean said, finding it remarkable that her question was answered with optimism instead of something more ambiguous.

"Is there anything else you need to ask me, Kori?" Raven asked as her thoughts shifted to helping Beast Boy figure out what vulnerabilities and strengths he inherited from his transformation.

"I do not require any more assistance at this time. I shall leave you to your meditation," the grateful titan answered as she headed in from the chilling breeze.

Pausing only a few minutes to get her emotions settled down to where she was certain it was under her control, Raven teleported about the tower to gather several items she would need to test her new boyfriend's weaknesses. Discovering the strengths and working them into his ability to shape shift would come at a later time. It would be better to start off by getting the worst out of the way. Plus, on the battlefield, he could avoid potentially fatal mistakes that wouldn't harm any of the other titans.

"Garfield, where are you?" the dark sorceress called over her communicator.

"My room," Beast Boy answered as the music blaring in the background quieted down.

Teleporting once more, the dark sorceress appeared behind the changeling and waited to see if he would realize that she hadn't bothered knocking at his door. But after several minutes of watching him rocking back in his chair and listening to his music, she turned the stereo and looked him dead in the eyes.

"Raven?" the changeling exclaimed as he opened his eyes and the slipped chair last two legs slipped out from under him. "Usually people knock before coming into someone's room you know," he added rubbed the back of his head.

"I told you. I don't want the team to know about us yet. Plus, you said you weren't ready to let them know about you. I did us both a favor," Raven answered as she cleared a place on the floor before sitting down.

"So what's up?"

"You don't think I just wanted to spend time with you?" the half-demon countered, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Uh….well…um…what's in the bag?" the shape shifter asked as his imagination ran through possibilities.

Rather than bothering with an answer, the dark sorceress proceeded to empty the contents onto the floor and carefully arrange them so the changeling could get an idea of what was going to happen. There was a clove of garlic, a silver necklace, a small vial of salt, a crucifix as well as other religious symbols, and sharp dagger. While Beast Boy figured out the first four items, he had no idea what the knife was for.

"Before you start going out on missions again, it's important for you to know what could be potentially dangerous. And if you're willing, we can test a few of them out right now."

"Yeah…sure," Beast Boy stammered, feeling uneasy about the situation. But Raven never did anything to hurt him, least intentionally. He had to admit, it was a lot safer to have a friend test him instead of being on a mission and finding out too late.

"Good, we'll start with silver," Raven said as she used the knife to break a link off the necklace she brought.

"If that stuff does kill me…how are we going to know without…you know…killing me?"

"From what I've learned, small amounts can hurt but not kill. And since you seem to heal very well, it shouldn't hurt for very long. But if you don't want to, or think that this is something that can kill you, we can skip this one."

"No, I don't know if…whatever you're planning, do it. I trust you…" The changeling clenched his teeth as the dark sorceress pierced his skin with the small piece of metal to make sure the rest of the team didn't know what was going on. And while there were a few drops of blood, there wasn't any sort of burning or sensation that suggested death was imminent. While it was a plus, there was always the question of who would be carrying a weapon made of silver anyways. Assuming that he managed to keep the secret away from the public, odds were that it wasn't anything he needed to deal with.

"Second, garlic," the half-demon continued when her boyfriend gave her a thumbs up to show that he was going to be fine.

"I think that might be a problem," the changeling choked as covered his mouth feeling nauseous. "Get it away. Get it away," he complained, swatting at the plant.

"I'm sorry," Raven apologized as she put the wretched herb back in the bag.

"I didn't know a plant could make me so sick," the shape shifter said looking a little more green than usual. But he did seem to recover and be ready for the next test rather quickly. "What's next?"

"The crucifix," Raven answered, her voicing hinting that she thought it was ridiculous to think that a piece of metal cast in the shape of a cross could do anything to harm her changeling. And by association, all the other relics should do nothing else. But for curiosity and security's sake, it was a necessary test.

"Well…I don't feel anything," Beast Boy said getting close to the object. "Guess I'm good."

"Hold it," the dark sorceress offered holding out the relic.

"Okay," the shape shifter accepted as he grabbed the cross. "Oh…fuck…damn…ouch…damn motherfuckin'…"

"I stand corrected. You can get near but can't touch. Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," the changeling said clenching his hand and pressing it to his chest as he tried to block out the pain.

"For your sake, try to not touch any other religious symbols. They'll probably all do the same thing."

"Rae, why do you even have these things?" the vampiric titan asked as he tried to remember each cypher. It was a lot to learn quickly, but if it kept him from feeling like he was being set on fire, he would do it. The alternative certainly wasn't appealing.

"I grew up with in religious society. I suppose I just want to understand what people believe and why. As for the icons of faiths, it came with being curious."

"Oh…I see…" Beast Boy answered, intrigued by the glimpse into girlfriend's upbringing. She hadn't talked about it very much, always seeming to only wanting to remember how to control her sorcery and ward off her father's influence. But that was just an assumption based off how the half-demon spoke so apathetically. Later, when he had sorted out his weakness, strengths, and what he needed to do to summon those powers, he'd ask what it was like to grow up in another world.

"This is the last one I can test you with," Raven said unplugging the vial and making a line of salt between her and the shape shifter before she backed up several feet.

"Is that salt? Seriously…I know my room's a mess, but I can do that by myself," the changeling said leaning over the grains.

"There is a condition called arithmomania. It's a disorder that compels people to count their actions or objects in their surroundings. Salt is the one that's associated with vampires. It you can cross that line without needing to count each grain, you don't have that problem."

Rolling his eyes as he got to his feet, Beast Boy stepped on the line with his right and cross with his left. To demonstrate that he had no compulsion to waste his time on something so trivial, he walked over the line several times before he brushed the salt into his hand and dumped it in the trash.

"So that everything?" the shape shifter said as he took a seat next to Raven, leaning in close and giving her a sly grin. "Cause I'd really like to take you out for dinner or something you want to do."

"It's everything we can do here," Raven answered as she fought off the 'something' she would want to do. Until she was sure had could maintain full control over her emotions in any circumstance. If being hugged by her changeling had caused her to lose control for mere seconds, she could only imagine what would happen if she got intimate. As much as she wanted to throw caution to the wind and disregard the lessons she learned as a child, she knew that she still needed to resist her body's sexual urges.

"So…?"

"I'm sure the others are going to want to welcome you back. We'll have dinner alone when things get back to normal."

Looking into his eyes, Raven could see how dejected Beast Boy felt. But he needed to remember how seriously she wanted the rest of the team to not interfere with the relationship. If they were to know, there was no way they wouldn't poke and prod in some fashion. Cyborg would probably give his list of suggestions to the odd couple or at least treat them differently. Starfire would most definitely want to get involved in one way or another. And since she was having trouble with the boy wonder, it seemed logical to keep the news away from her until the wounds had somewhat healed. And as for Robin, if his lack of a personal relationship with the princess was any indication of what he thought about romantic involvements, Raven didn't want to hear anything he had to say, especially if he mentioned the word 'sacrifice'. She had sacrificed just as much if not more than the rest of the team.

"You promise?"

"I promise," the dark sorceress answered with a slight smile. "But back to you…there's something else you need to test."

"What?"

"Legends state that running water such as rivers and streams are barriers for vampires."

"Naw, I went to the park and didn't have a problem wading in the water," the changeling informed as his arm started to slip around his sorceress.

"Why were you at the park playing in the water?" the half-demon questioned.

"It was warm today and I wanted to cool off."

"We live in a tower that's on an island. There's plenty of water here."

"It's more fun at the park. Plus I wanted to get some cotton candy," the changeling said with a grin. "Maybe next time you can come with me. It'll be fun. I'll get you the blue one. I think that one tastes like blueberries…I don't remember. My favorite is the red one."

Rolling her eyes at how easy it could be for her boyfriend to get sidetracked after a very serious conversation, Raven continued with the last few methods of vampire killing she was aware of. And Beast Boy knew immediately that he would have no problems with avoiding any of them. First was being burned alive. No problem, flight would help him avoid flames. Then there was drowning. Again, shape shifting would save him. He was sure that he could avoid a stake being driven through his heart. And as for decapitation, when he saw someone trying to cut his head off, he'd duck. If his back was turned, well then he would never know what hit him.

"Is there anything else?" Beast Boy asked, hoping to high heaven there wasn't anything else he needed to be afraid of. He wanted to get to the good stuff. What could he do now that had always been out of reach? How did he access those new powers? So far he hadn't felt any different. The punching bag in the gym didn't swing any higher than normal. He couldn't run any faster either. If he had received biological upgrades, what was he missing?

"As far as things to watch out for, that's all I've been able to find," Raven stated as she picked up everything she had brought. "I think you should try meshing your vampiric strengths with your shape shifting."

"Uh….I haven't…I sorta don't…"

"You haven't tried?" the dark sorceress asked.

"No, I tried but I didn't do anything different. I don't run faster, hit harder…anything. I don't get it…what am I doing wrong?"

"Well, since vampires come out at night, or are supposed to only come out at night," Raven said eyeing the changeling sitting next to her, "you might not be able to use that strength, speed, or anything else you have until after dusk."

"That means I have to wait another three hours. And I promised Vic we'd have a movie night tonight," Beast Boy complained, clearly upset that his plans were shot for the night. While he didn't want to pass up the opportunity for a little fun, but the desire to find out what he could do was too much to resist.

"I do have another theory," the half-demon offered.

"I'll try anything."

"I control my powers through meditation and focus. On the other hand, Starfire expresses her emotions to the extremes. I don't know if either method will work for you, but the only way to know is to try them out."

Looking into the dark sorceress's eyes with a profound sense of gratitude, Beast Boy wanted to lavish her with all the endearing compliments that were swimming around in his head. But while she might have opened up to him, she was still the same Raven she had always been. Flattery, while she didn't detest it, really didn't care for it too much. That was the best way to compliment her for the time she spent on helping him with his issues was to simply put the advice to use.

"What? What's with the smile?" Raven inquired.

"I'm just happy…I have a beautiful girl that loves me and has all the answers," the shape shifter answered grinning.

"I appreciate the compliment but I would prefer that you don't put me on a pedestal."

"Ok, I'm sorry for saying your perfect," the changeling apologized while still thinking that she was better than she wanted to admit to. But this time he kept that to himself.

"Apology accepted. Now, what are you going to do?"

"Well…since I don't want to meditate like you…" Beast Boy said grimacing, hoping that Raven wouldn't take it as an insult, "I'm gonna try what Star does."

"Fine, it's your decision," the dark sorceress answer, completely calm and unoffended by the statement. It didn't matter how he summoned the gift he was given as long as he did it. If that meant he wanted to try something that she hadn't mentioned, so be it. At the end of the day, what mattered was that he tried and didn't give up until he succeeded.

"I'll be there for a while if you want to come see me," the changeling informed before Raven a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I might but I think I should meditate," the dark sorceress stated dryly as she heard Cyborg shouting that the dishes in the sink had broken as well as the changeling room becoming a bigger mess. It appeared that it was going to be awhile before she was able to express or even accept love in anything other than words. Someday would indulge her desires to show her changeling a smile and not worry about hurting him or any of her other friends, to allow him to hold her close to his chest without worrying about rampant dark energies wreaking havoc, to kiss him tenderly without concern for their wellbeing, to finally give herself wholly to him and prove to everyone that she had known growing up in Azarath that she was not ruled by destiny. That someday couldn't come soon enough.

"Well, if you don't, I'll see you at dinner then," the green skinned titan stated as he forced himself to leave his position next to what he considered to be the embodiment of perfection.

Giving a faint grin and a slight nod, Raven teleported to the relative safety and seclusion her room provided. While her changeling worked on unlocking and perfecting himself, she was going to search for a way to break the chains that kept her in emotional turmoil. She already knew that the problem resided solely within the demonic influence that tried to curb her will and annihilate everything she sought to protect and cared about. The question was what could be done to subdue it so her fledgling romance with Beast Boy would not be hindered by her birthright. She wanted the choice of giving her body to him or not. There had to be a way to make it happen.

Sitting at the foot of her bed and looking at her bedroom door, the half-demon thought about the numerous times she had resisted her demon's influence. Every battle she recalled reinforced how badly she wanted to break free from her heritage and make her own destiny. By her confession to the changeling, she had already taken the first major step in that direction. But unless she could a permanent solution to the problem, she would always have to keep Beast Boy on edge and at arm's length. And she loved him too much to put him through such torture. There had to an answer and she was going to find it.

"You will never possess him," the devil in her mind shrieked, infuriated that actions taken had defied its will.

"I've already proven you can't keep me from living my life," Raven retaliated. "He is mine and I will find a way."

"I'll show you. You're fate had already been chosen. You will never be free. I own you! You're mine!"

Meanwhile, Beast Boy was struggling to make any sort of progress. Try as he might, he couldn't get his mind focused and use his anger to hit any harder then he normally would. Plus, every time he thought of something that got under his skin, his fists didn't land in an optimal fashion. They were just sloppy. It didn't seem to matter that he had some understanding of what he needed to do. Nothing seemed to be working. Maybe somewhere along the way, he misunderstood how Starfire came across with superhuman strength and threw her starbolts on command. But that wasn't likely since he heard her explain it multiple times over the years. Maybe she should have asked Raven for instructions. It might have been years since the two women had been put in each other's bodies, but there had to be a key piece of information there he wasn't aware of.

Yet no matter how frustrated he got or how lost he felt, he refused to give up on himself. He wanted desperately to show Raven that he could demonstrate his full potential. But more than that, he wanted to impress her by combining his two gifts into a one powerful arsenal. He had visions of being unstoppable. It would beyond exceptional if he could transform into a bull that could crash through any barrier without breaking a sweat. His speed as any animal would be exponential greater. Or perhaps by being cursed into a darker existence, he could transform into the mythological creatures he never could become. A dragon, a chimera, or perhaps a Pegasus, his only limit might what he could imagine.

Encouraged by the thoughts that he would be able to become any creature he could come up with, Beast Boy's thoughts began to shift towards hurting s person instead of the punching bad that swung in front of him. Almost immediately he thought of how he might enjoy pinning Slade to the ground by his throat and choking him to death while they stared each other in the eyes. Then he recalled how Dr. Light had humiliated him a little over six months ago. If that wannabe ever showed his face in the city again, the changeling was sure that he would love to exact some brutal retribution on him too. Perhaps breaking the doctor's arms would suffice. If it didn't, well then his friends would have to restrain him before he went any further. Lastly he recalled how Robin had treated him three days prior. From the spark of that memory he began to dwell on all the other times the boy wonder had picked on him. He wasn't training hard enough. He wasn't taking his job seriously enough. He wasn't doing something well enough and didn't measure up to ridiculous standards that nobody could hope to come close to. Perhaps it was time to give that titan a lesson in humility.

Increasingly becoming blinded by his rage towards his enemies and his established leader, Beast Boy gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the canvas bad. And for the first time, he believed that progress was being made though he wasn't exactly sure how. It would have seemed to anybody watching him that his heavy blow was because of an adrenaline rush. But the changeling felt that there was something more than that. It had almost felt like he was still holding back, as though he had more strength then what he had just witnessed. Taking another swing, he heard a significant difference from his normal strikes and the last two he had thrown. With one more shot, he was convinced that between the sun beginning to set outside the window and what he knew about Starfire's methods, he had made a landmark achievement. The only difference that the changeling could point out right away was that while the Tameranean needed to have confidence in herself, he needed to get incredibly agitated and want to inflict pain and suffering.

But the changeling soon realized that his accomplishment had come at a price. The anger and bitterness that he used dug its claws into him, refusing to allow him to relish his success. His mind was captivated by images of ripping Slade's spine out with his bare hands. He longed to eviscerate Light and watch the blood flow into the gutters while he drank his fill. He desired hearing the sweet sound of Robin's bones breaking and the agonizing screams of pain that would follow. If he didn't manage to pull away from the brink of insanity, he would prove Raven wrong. He would be the monster he feared.

"No…I won't…I can't…" Beast Boy growled as he fell to his knees. "I'm not…I have to…I want to…I should…"

Locked in a struggle to keep himself from making fantasy a reality, the changeling didn't notice his best friend coming up behind him. It took several taps on the shoulder to get his attention.

"BB, what's wrong? You're looking a little pale," Cyborg asked kneeling next to his friend and placing a hand across his shoulders. "Are you feeling ok?"

"I'm fine…I'm just…pissed off."

"Do you want me to leave you alone? Talk about it?"

"I want to get back at him…I want to make him to beg for his life. He tried to kill me…because Robin…because Robin!"

"BB…calm down. Breathe."

"I could have died…I should have. What would you want if you were in my shoes?" Beast Boy asked beginning to tear, his rage turning to sorrow.

"I would want the same thing. Maybe I don't want to kill him, but I do want Slade to pay for what he did. You're my best friend and I think of you as the brother I never had."

Wiping the tears from his eyes as he tried to imagine how much time and effort Cyborg had put into doing everything medically possible to keep him alive. He had no words, no way of responding, so he remained silent and let his friend continue.

"Maybe you should take some off," the titanium titan suggested. "You don't need to rush going back on missions. If you're not ready, you're not ready."

"Vic, I owe you…a lot," the changeling finally spoke after pondering his friend's counsel.

"You don't owe me anything."

After a short pause, Cyborg changed the subject entirely. "Well…the reason I was looking for you was to see if you were still up for later tonight. Since I haven't seen you since after lunch, I wanted to be sure nothing's come up. But if you'd rather wait…"

"No…I mean, I'm still game but I think I should clean up before dinner," Beast Boy said wiping some sweat of his forehead.

"You sure you're good now? Nothing else is bothering you?"

"Yeah…I think I'm fine," the shape shifter answered as he got up and started to head to his room.

"Maybe I should start being your therapist too. I could get rich!" the mechanical hybrid joshed, calling after his friend as he too got back to his feet.

"I'll order you pizza."

"It better not be vegetarian," Cyborg shouted as the shape shifter grinned over his shoulder and let the door close behind him.

As he headed back to his room to wash up and relax before dinner, the changeling figured that his friend was right about taking some time off. He should get his life back in order before going on missions again. What good would he do if he became obsessed with Slade just as Robin was? How many mistakes would he make, putting himself, his friends, and his new girlfriend in even greater danger? And remembering how badly he wanted to unleash hell for vengeance sake, how many people might he maim and even kill before he got his beast under control?

Making up his mind, deciding that he would take a couple weeks off to recover, he only desired to make his break as short as possible. Not because he wanted to fight again, not because he didn't want to stay in the tower all hours of the day, but because he wanted to get as much time around the dark sorceress as possible.

And there was nobody better to help him recover emotionally then Raven. What would she advise? Was she going to say that she didn't know and he just needed to take time? Would she tell him to try meditation? Or perhaps there was another idea his brain was missing. Whatever the future held, for now he was going to relish in the fact that Raven had helped him uncover vulnerabilities he would have never considered, had made some progress in seeing what he was capable of, and had been fortunate enough to have his best friend intervene when he needed help in a dire situation.

"BB," Cyborg called over the communicator.

"Yeah?" the changeling answered as finished putting on his shoes after much needed shower.

"Come down for dinner."

"I'll be right there."

"Oh…and before you forget, you owe me a pizza," the titanium titan joked, reminding Beast Boy that no matter what problems he was dealing with, he would always have the support he needed to get through life just fine.


	6. Chapter 6

In the coming days as weeks that followed, the changeling pretty much spent all his time at the tower. It had taken quite a few extensive conversations and debates with the team, but Robin finally agreed to permit Beast Boy up to one year to recover and get his mind back in the game. After that, facts were facts and the contract that kept the shape shifter a titan would be allowed to run out. Perhaps that sounded stubborn, even heartless of the boy wonder to eliminate a teammate that had saved his life numerous times, but really it wasn't. Every titan needed to know that everyone else had their back. If one member couldn't perform, they would all fail. The team was only as strong as its weakest member. And there was no place for weakness.

So to make sure that he wasn't given his walking papers, he, Raven, and Robin came up with a strict, regulated schedule that would keep him in top performance while simultaneously working out the issues that came from cheating death and being a vampire. Mornings were to be spent in the gym. After making sure that he kept in shape, he sparred several rounds with Robin to remind him how to think on his feet. Afternoons were spent with Raven for therapy, or what the team assumed to be simple therapy. In truth, they also used the time to work out problems they were having in their relationship. And evenings were spent on whatever he thought he needed to do the most. If that meant he wanted to relax, that was his choice. But more often than not, he spent most nights summoning his vampiric strength and speed without succumbing to the bloodlust hazes.

His diet was also strictly regulated by the boy wonder who assumed that what was eaten could affect mental health. Although Beast Boy thought it was just an excuse to be forced into giving up his favorite snacks, caramels and popcorn, he went along with what he was told. If something so simple could help him, assist him in getting rid of the misery Slade had given him, it was definitely worth giving a shot. But when nobody was looking, the changeling added what he called his 'secret sauce' to his food and beverages, or what the rest of the team would call blood. And while it was difficult to sneak the plastic bags out of the infirmary, finding a split second to slip it into his drink was even more so. Still, he managed to keep it all a secret from the rest of the team. When the time was right, he'd let them know about his rebirth and the price he was paying.

And that was what Beast Boy thought about most of the time. While training in the gym, he looked for the right time to let the rest of the team know that there was something about him they weren't aware of yet. No matter how many times Raven told him that he didn't have to explain anything to them if he didn't want to, he felt it something of an obligation to share the information with the rest of his friends at some point. Maybe he was just used to letting them know anything life changing. Maybe he wanted to make sure they found out in a private setting, away from the public so whatever reactions they had wouldn't make the headlines. Or maybe it was because he was still afraid that no matter how hard he tried to tame the wild beast inside, there was no way he could control it one hundred percent of the time. Sooner or later, it was going to come out and he would be barraged with questions.

That was another change the shape shifter had undergone, accepting the curse of being a vampire. In the first week, his emotional state changed from day to day, even hour by hour. Sometimes he thought it was exciting to be something so mysterious, so legendary. Other times he was depressed and considered looking for an exorcism. But as time went by, as he talked to Raven about what he feared he might do or not be able to do, the more comfortable he became. And his spirits always soured when he summoned the superhuman speed or strength while rejecting the voices in his head telling him to go out on the hunt. As long as he could keep his mind fortified, the changeling consider his curse a blessing instead.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of training, therapy, dieting, and accepting things as they were, Beast Boy felt like he was good as new, ready to take on the world and all its challenges. The only test that could prove him wrong was a mission that dealt with fight Slade directly. It was that mad man alone that could either make or break the changeling's future. If he allowed the mastermind to get under his skin and remind him of how Robin had failed him as a leader, it was likely going to be the end of his career as a titan. On the other hand, if he managed to keep himself together, controlling the burning desired to lacerate the criminal's femoral artery and watch him bleed out, the shape shifter would consider himself mentally fit.

It was on one such morning that Beast Boy was practically chomping at the bit for a chance to go on a mission again that the boy wonder asked his he thought he was fit for duty again. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he gave a thumbs up. He longed to show that his status on the team was well-deserved, that his friends' efforts to make sure he stayed were not in vain and he was still a valuable asset to the team. He had fought too hard to doubt himself.

"We should spar, one more time to make sure you're ready, Beast Boy," Robin said as he and the rest of the team went through their strenuous practice session.

"You think you can take me?" the shape shifter confidently answered as he ran on the treadmill. Not as fast as he could, just fast enough so the boy wonder thought he was pushing himself. He was still looking for the right moment to surprise everyone with his announcement. Today just might be the day. But his relationship with Raven, that was to remain under the radar until she was ready. And he had no idea when that would be.

"For someone who's won three of the last…is it thirty matches we've had since you took your break, you sound a little cocky," the boy wonder commented as he reached for his gloves.

"Even you would have to admit that stepping off the mat is a cheap way to win," the changeling countered as he jumped from the treadmill and grabbed a second set of gloves.

"It's been a rule since day one. Look at it this way; if you're fighting on a rooftop, you're done for."

"Speak for yourself. I can fly," Beast Boy shot back.

Rolling his eyes, the fearless leader took his spot on the mat and waited for his ally to do the same. He knew that the reasoning behind the rule only really applied to himself and Cyborg. Still, he enforced it on the changeling because he wanted to know how far he could push himself without relying on his menagerie of animals. Plus, he assured himself that he was still better than anybody walking the streets. The boy wonder would never admit it, but Beast Boy wasn't too bad of a fighter. It was the changeling's tendency to get annoyed and frustrated by being limited that led to the majority of his defeats.

"Or we could have another sword fight," the titan leader said grinning. After underestimating Beast Boy the first time, he spent extra time with his weapons. Night and day, he replayed the fight in his mind, analyzing every detail he could recall. There was no way he was going to let a beginner's luck or a berserker's charge overwhelm him again.

"Nah, that was a one-time thing," the changeling answered.

"Are you sure? You've had better luck with one than without," Robin teased, seeing if he could get a little aggravation going.

"You want to make a bet?" Beast Boy countered, not letting himself take the comment seriously.

Smirking as he shook his head, the boy wonder focused and prepared for a real fight. Over the past several of months, he witnessed Beast boy becoming a more formidable opponent. And while he had a certain amount of pride in seeing his teammate perform at a higher standard, it was also frightening. Somehow, someway, the changeling seemed to be reacting much faster than he had in the past. It wasn't because the same techniques were being used; Robin switched his methods from fight to fight, trying to never use the same methods twice in the same month. There was something else, something he couldn't put his finger on.

Not letting Beast Boy get the first move, Robin struck quickly. With a low kick to the shins followed by a lightning quick right jab, left hook, and a second kick aiming for the midsection, he got the fight underway. All the attacks were either blocked or dodged, but he wasn't going to let that get to him. He still believed that no matter how much his ally might improve, he was still the better fighter and didn't need to rely on a stipulation to secure a win. The day he was soundly defeated by the changeling, he was going to take a long trip around the world to find a kung-fu master to teach him something new. But so far, he was fairly sure he didn't need to make those plans. And really, what were the odds that he would be bested at his own game? Assuming Beast Boy didn't shove him out of the ring, he believed that the outcome was still in his favor.

"Not bad," the fearless leader complemented as he blocked on of Beast Boy's punches while making a swift counterattack. This time he made solid contact, his fist digging into the changeling's ribs and forcing the titans away from each other. Taking advantage of the moment, the boy wonder leaped high for his signature kick to the chest while the shape shifter was making his recovery. Unfortunately, the game winning strike missed by a fraction of an inch. But it didn't open him long enough to allow Beast Boy to take him down. With snakelike reflexes, Robin got back in form to take the counteroffensive that was sure to come.

"Come on. Show me what you've got, Beast Boy. Or are you scared?" Robin taunted again.

Trying to remind himself of what Raven had taught him about taking a moment to think things through and keeping his temper under control, the changeling struggled to keep his struggled to keep the jeers from getting under his skin. The boy wonder had a knack for battling with him psychologically as well as physically. And no matter how hard Beast Boy trained to be a worthy adversary on both fronts, he could never keep the urge to pounce out of his mind. Maybe it was just a part of him, a primal instinct that demanded fair treatment. Or perhaps it just reminded the shape shifter of all the bad things that Robin had done to him over the years, neglecting the good entirely.

Still, Beast Boy somehow managed to keep his animal lusts from making him at the way the boy wonder wanted him to. If he wanted to achieve his fourth victory, he needed to keep his mind clear and search for a weak point in his adversary's defenses. Going for the legs was out of the question as the attack would either be dodged or blocked by the shins. Striking for the midsection or head was near impossible with Robin's guard up. The only feasible option the changeling had was to hold his ground and pray that there was going to be a mistake to exploit. And if history was going to be the judge, Beast Boy was going to have to wait a long time before getting his shot assuming the boy wonder didn't overwhelm him before then.

"You aren't going to win if you don't attack," the boy wonder stated, testing the changeling's resolve to win.

"Wait, I need to wait," the shape shifter repeated to himself as he defended against another series of attacks.

While playing purely defensively wouldn't put Robin down, the changeling had time to start considering exploiting his vampiric strength to shift the odds in his favor instead of waiting for a window of opportunity. There was no doubt he wanted to, but what could be the ramifications? There was a chance he only got a glancing blow and tripping up his sparring partner and sending him crashing to the mat. But more than likely, given the extra speed he had attained, he would get a solid hit. Robin could end up with broken ribs, possible internal injuries that required immediate medical attention, or in the worst case scenario, death. And while the two had problems getting along, Beast Boy didn't want to kill his boss. Not only would he never be a titan again, he would end up rotting away in a prison somewhere unable to see his beloved Raven again.

"Are you a pacifist now? You'll never be a titan again if you aren't willing to fight anymore," the titan commander said tired of the match going nowhere. Not only was he beginning to get exhausted, he wasn't too thrilled to see such potential go to waste suddenly. But if Beast Boy wasn't willing to fight, there wasn't going to be a place for him on the team.

"Just try to finish me," Beast Boy dared.

"You asked for it," Robin answered as he made a quick jab to the face before aiming a roadhouse kick to the midsection, intending to knock the wind out of the changeling and finishing the extended match.

Acting quickly so as not to pass up the one chance he had gotten, Beast Boy caught the kick just about the knee and stopped it from finishing him off. And now having his opponent in a precarious situation, the changeling smirked as he slammed his forearm into the boy wonder's ribs and sent him to the ground with a resounding thud, the sound of victory.

"Yes!" the changeling exclaimed as held up his arms in triumph. Now maybe he would be allowed to go back on missions. Robin might not have liked how long it took for him to make his move, but Beast Boy couldn't think of a better way to win. Instead of getting frustrated, he had managed to reverse the roles and have the boy wonder suffer from his own tactics. It was empowering. It was comforting. It was euphoria.

"Damn," the boy wonder groaned as he held his ribs, "nice shot…but did you have to hit so damn hard?"

"Sorry…I didn't mean to…"

"Mean to? You almost make it sound like an accident," the titan commander commented as he turned his attention to his bruised ego. He had poke fun under the assumption that he was the much better-rounded fighter: better battle instincts, a keener eye for detail, and almost flawless when it came to setting up traps. And how had it all ended for him? With him making the mistake he had tried to get Beast Boy to make. Now he faced embarrassment, not because he lost in front of the team but because he had been so cocky. If he could go back five minutes, he'd slap some sense into his past self. But at least he had learned to never underestimate the shape shifter's ability to play mental games.

"I'm stronger then I look," Beast Boy answered with a shrug. While he did want to tell everyone what had happened to him so he didn't have to feel like he was hiding a dangerous secret, he wasn't sure if now was the right time. After all, he hadn't done anything extraordinary that couldn't be explained away by adrenaline and a desire to get back to work, no solid proof to convince the team that he was telling the truth. On the other hand, they were supposed to his friends. Didn't that mean that they would at least give him the benefit of the doubt? Or had pulled so many pranks that his credibility was completely shot?

"Friend, why do you no longer appear pleased with your performance?" Starfire inquired as she noticed the changeling's demeanor switch from ecstatic to being distressed.

"He's just worried that I won't let him back on the team because he bruised my ribs…or broke them," the boy wonder answered gritting his teeth as Raven quickened the healing process.

"Yeah," Beast Boy mumbled absentmindedly, completely unaware of what had been said to or about him. The city could be burning to the ground and he still might not have noticed.

"Well," Robin said nodding gratitude towards the dark sorceress as she took a step back to see how everything was going to play out, "I'm not sure how you could hit me that hard but I was damn impressed that you didn't flip out at me. That was definitely a first. So…I guess if you still think you're ready, I'll put you right back on active duty. What do you say?"

"I'm sorry, I was….thinking," the changeling stated coming back to reality. "What's going on?"

"I said you don't have to worry about me. If you want to go back on missions again, you can. You're choice, BB. What do you say?" the titan commander repeated as he extended his hand and waited to see if the shape shifter was still interested or not. Beast Boy hadn't hesitated to answer at breakfast. But now that he looked like he was dealing with some major problems, he might not be as ready as he originally thought. There wouldn't be any harm in using more of the allotted time to make sure he was good to go. Plus, since he had already shown a lot of promise and an amazing amount of strength and will, Robin didn't think that he'd allow anyone to apply for the fifth position on the team.

"Yeah…hell yeah," Best Boy answered as he shook hands with his boss, a sense of accomplishment and security warming his soul. Not only had he managed to overcome his problems, he also lucked out with none of his friends questioning his speed and strength. Maybe they hadn't paid much attention to the fight since they were supposed to be training themselves. Perhaps they figured that he had always been capable. Or maybe they thought that the boy wonder hadn't fought as hard as he could, even though Robin would never consider the idea. Whatever the reason, none of his friends seemed interested and Beast Boy didn't think it was time to explain himself.

"Good, you're coming on the next mission," the boy wonder said before he left to get some painkillers, signifying that practice was pretty much over. If the others wanted to stay, that was their prerogative.

Fully realizing that his position on the team was safe and the rigorous routine was no longer necessary, Beast Boy felt elated. No more waking up and doing the exact same thing as the day before, the days blurring together. Now he could do whatever he wanted: play videogames, listen to music, sit on the sofa and watch mindless television, indulge in the snacks the team had hidden from him, or spend time with his Raven. However, before he decided on anything, he desperately needed to shower. The next mission could come at any time and nobody would want to have him in the car smelling like he was.

Roughly thirty minutes later, he was lying on the sofa wondering why he hadn't seen the boy wonder's inquiry as the sign that it was time to let his friends know there was more to him they knew. For the past week he had looked for the perfect opportunity. Yet when the moment was upon him, he made an excuse. Was he not as comfortable as he had thought? Had he thought that the team would reject him, saying that it was too dangerous to have such a creature on the team? Would they perhaps think that he had severe mental delusions? Maybe he had just thought that saying anything strange could keep him from getting him back on the team. Even if that wasn't true, the changeling was convinced that it was reasonable enough to believe.

"Garfield," Raven said as she took a seat next to the changeling, "is there a reason you didn't come talking to me after practice?"

"Oh fuck…" the shape shifter groaned as he covered his face with his hands. In his jubilation, he hadn't stopped to think that Raven might have expected him to finish the routine one last time. Now, rather than wondering how his friends might react to having a vampire on the team, he was praying that his girlfriend wasn't going to make him pay brutal restitutions for wasting her time. His stomach twisted in knots as he thought of what she could force him to do. "I'm sorry…I just…I was just so happy about getting back on the team that I forgot about it," the changeling apologized as he waited for a lecture that never came.

"Garfield," Raven said a second time in a softer tone, "I need to tell you something important."

Sitting up quickly, Beast Boy had absolutely no idea what she could be talking about. While he had made a mistake, it wasn't something she would consider vital. That had been more like a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things. What Raven considered important would be an earthshattering event such as his transformation or their first date.

"Is it good?" the changeling asked.

"It's hopeful," the half-demon answered as she took a seat next to her boyfriend.

"Tell me," the shape shifter begged as he fought to keep his hands to himself.

"I might have found a solution to our problem, Garfield. I can't be sure unless we try, but it's going to mean you'll have to risk a lot for me."

"Anything…I'll do anything you need me to," Beast Boy said reaching for his girlfriend's hand only to miss by a fraction of a second. Once again, she predicted his actions before he had a chance to think them. Annoying yet fascinating at the same time.

"My entire life has been dedicated to suppressing my emotions through mediation. And until I saw that you had learned to focus and control yourself no matter how hard someone tried to get you to lose your temper, I wasn't sure if I could ask this from you," Raven stated, taking a moment to keep herself together. "I want you to use my mirror to entire my mind, locate my demon, and do whatever you need to do to show her that you are what I need in my life."

"Is that the big red …thing?" Beast Boy asked as he remembered the first time he had seen the sort of problems Raven dealt with on her own.

"That was the manifestation of my father. You won't face the same image. It will look like me, and do anything to make you drop your defenses to make killing you much easier."

"Kill me? I could die…?" the shape shifter asked, shocked that this idea required his life to be put on the line.

"Yes Garfield, you could die," Raven whispered bowing her head, feeling ashamed to be asking her boyfriend to risk making the ultimate sacrifice. She had tired time and time again to find a safer option. But everything she had tried up to this moment had met with failure and taunts from her demon. If this didn't work, or Beast Boy thought that it was too much, she might never break from the destiny she feared. Still, there was always hope that the answer did exist and it wouldn't allude her forever.

Refraining from saying the first thing that came to mind, Beast Boy took a minute to think about what Raven had said. He knew that his life was put on the line almost constantly whether because he was doing something stupid or a dare or fighting dangerous criminals. Now he was being asked to fight the very heart of evil, a force that had filled him with terror when he laid eyes on it. If he did accept, was he going to be able to keep his fears from getting in the way? And if he did manage to stand his ground, what did he have that Raven didn't? Was there something about him being completely separate from the demon that gave him a distinct advantage?

Staring at the floor as he searched his mind for the answers to those questions, there was one thing that Beast Boy knew for sure. Raven had poured her heart and soul into their relationship, doing her best to spare no expense to make everything work out between the two of them. She had helped him with the countless the problems he had while asking for nothing in return. Now was the opportunity to repay some of those debts. And if that meant she was willing to risk everything they had achieved thus far, then so was he.

"Raven," Beast Boy answered in s hushed tone as he looked into the half-demon's eyes, "I'll do it. Right now, I'll do it."

Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, the dark sorceress didn't bother to as for confirmation as she enveloped the both of them and teleported to her room. There, the shape shifter was given some final instructions, reassurance that he was fully capable, and sent to fight the most important battle of his life. Giving Raven a smile to remember him by in the event that he never returned, the changeling gasped the handle and was instant transported into his girlfriend's mind.

"I need to work the landing," the shape shifter groaned as he rubbed his shoulder and struggled to his feet. Almost instantly he recognized the surrounding scenery: brightly colored flower scattered over the landscape, lush green hills that seemed to roll on for miles with a dirt road cutting a path in the general direction he needed to go, a cool gentle breeze that whipped around his ankles, and a warmed that caressed his face. It was heaven, the perfect place to relax and enjoy a peaceful afternoon. The only thing that Beast Boy saw missing was Raven dressed in pink and imitating Starfire.

Wasting little time, the shape shifter gathered his wits and heading in the direction he thought Raven's demon was hiding.

"Hey there, BB," a very cheerful Raven cried as she ran up and hugged the changeling. "I'm so happy you showed up. I've missed you so much."

"Oh…hi there...um…Raven," Beast Boy answered as he wrapped his arms around his sorceress's emotion while wondering if he had been heading in the right direction. This was certainly not the aspect that he had intended to meet up with. But at the same time, he had to admit that it felt great to hold Raven in his arms and pull her close to his chest. It gave him something to look forward to, an extra incentive to keep his mind focused on the prize.

"You want to play a game? I love playing games. Let's play a game," the pink Raven exclaimed.

"Um…"

"I promise I'll tell you which way you need to go," she continued, giving the shape shifter a reason to go along with the suggestion. He had no idea was the quickest path was so it would be in his best interest to succumb to the request.

"What game?"

"I'll hide and you try to fine me. Close your eyes and count to ten."

"Alright," the changeling agreed. It seemed like a simple enough task since he couldn't see anything to hide behind. After he opened his eyes, he'd be good to go.

"No peeking," the aspect ordered grinning.

"One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight…nine…ten," Beast Boy counted as he asked himself why this particular Raven was so interested in a child's game.

Upon opening his eyes, the changeling stared out at the vast emptiness that surrounded him. Looking left, right, and spinning around, he saw no signs that the pink clad Raven had introduced herself again. But he knew that there was no way he had been hallucinating. The game was real and he was determined to win. After all, he needed to ask for directions. But after what felt like an eternity of aimless wandering and being no closer to finding the girl then when he started, he dropped to his knees and stared up towards the sky, directly into the happy Raven's eyes.

"Are you kidding me? You were behind me the whole time?" the shape shifter babbled, almost unable to speak at all.

"Yep," the aspect giggled. "You're turn!"

"Wait, look, I'd really like to keep playing…but I really need to get moving. Please tell me which way I need to go. Please?" Beast Boy asked sounding a little desperate. He wasn't sure if the facet was able to feel anything other than happiness, but he didn't want to do anything that made it sound like he wasn't interested in spending any more time with her. Truth was, he had fun even though it was a little more childish then he liked. But he understood that his girlfriend was depending on him and he needed to keep moving. That was the reason he had shown up at all.

"You promise that you'll come back again?"

"Sure, sure I'll do my best," the changeling promised.

"Well…ok. Just keep going that way," the happy Raven said pointing. "And if you see a fork in the road, take it," she finished, laughing as she skipped away.

Following the direction pointed out to him, Beast Boy transformed into a cheetah and set off in a dead sprint, picking up as much time as he could. There was no way of knowing how long he had been playing games as it seemed the sun never set and he didn't wear a watch. With that lack of information came the risk that he wasn't with the team when they were headed out on a mission. And he knew how upset the team would be with him seeming to have skipped out on the first operation. Cyborg would be on his case, at least for a little while. Starfire would probably be very disappointed in what would look like forsaking the team. And Robin would lecture him about his duties to the city. If that happened, he'd have to hope that his girlfriend had an excuse for him to use. Somehow playing games in her head didn't sound very likely.

After switching between running and sprinting for several miles, the changeling came to a fork in the road. Now he came to another choice, left or right. Both appeared to lead in the same general direction initially, but there was no reason to think that they came to the same destination. If there was no added dangers from the wrong road, it would at least add hours to his journey.

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both. And be one traveler, long I stood and down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth," a Raven dressed in yellow and wearing a pair of glasses recited, quoting a very suitable poem for the changeling while resting under the boughs of a tree.

"That sounds really nice," Beast Boy responded, turning to see where the voice was coming from.

"It's called 'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost," the bookworm of an emotion answered as she set down her hardback. "I'm happy to see you've made it this far."

"So am I. Now I just need to figure out which way to go," the changeling mumbled as he looked down the two paths.

"Go left."

"That…that's it? No game, no tricks, no riddles, no nothing?" the shape shifter asked as he looked down the path leading into an endless forest.

"I don't play games, Garfield," the yellow cloaked girl answered, appearing to have no interest in anything other than reading her book and seeing him on his way.

Resuming his mission and making his way through the forest, Beast Boy felt himself getting ever closer to his target. The once pristine scenery that could make anyone feel safe slowly died off. The sky darkened as millions of stars came out to light his path, the lush greenery rapidly died off, and the birds that had sang sweet melodies were replaced by the four-eyed ravens that called out for blood. But for whatever reason, this time fear didn't overtake him. Maybe it was because he knew that he wasn't wandering his girlfriend's mind uninvited. Maybe it was just because he had grown up. Or maybe it was because he felt like he was still in his element, not as a shape shifter but as a vampire.

"You scared?" a voice exclaimed as a hand reached out from behind one of the trees and grabbed the changeling's shoulder, causing him to jump in surprise.

"Holy shit…" Beast Boy shouted as he felt his heart race.

"You ok?" the third of Raven's many emotions asked, this one dressed in a dark green cape.

"I…I'm fine. You just surprised me. I wasn't scared. I just need to find…"

"I know...and I wanna come with ya. I'm not scared either. I'm always up for a good fight."

"Well…"

"Come on, let's go kick some ass," the courageous Raven enthusiastically stated. Without giving a chance to refuse, she grabbed the changeling's wrist and dragged him to the top of a stairwell that led down into Rage's domain.

Taking a moment to get acclimated to the surroundings, Beast Boy understood what terrorizing and waging psychological warfare was all about. The smell of smoke and sulfur filled the air, forcing him to choke as the back of his throat burned. Screams of pain and agony flooded his ears, begging him to turn back or face a very similar fate. He could even taste raw seething hatred, the bitterness forcing his face to contort in disgust. This was most certainly the place he had been looking for and where he was going to fight to the future or his girlfriend. All he had to do now was face down the fears that were trying to paralyze him and not fall prey to the temptations he was likely going to face.

"You scared?" the brave emotion asked him, not to get him to jump but to remind him why he was stand at a gateway into hell.

"Y-yeah," the changeling answered, his feet frozen.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it for you," she stated with boldness as she cracked her knuckles.

"Wait," the shape shifter said killing the fears creeping into his mind. "I'm doing this. You let me do this…"

Gathering every bit of courage he had, the changeling pushed ahead of the green cloaked girl, transformed into a tiger, and proceeded to creep down the stairs in search of his prey. Every step he took down into the insufferable heat brought him one step closer to an enemy that he had never wanted to see. And regardless of the outcome, he would never see again.

Finally getting to the bottom of the stairs, Beast Boy stealthily entered a large room that instantly made him feel like he had been expected, as though he was walking into a trap or a dungeon. The entire room seemed to have been carved into a single piece of solid red rock. Even so, large columns reached to the ceiling and seemed to provide some cover if this was to be the place he faced down Raven's demon. Evenly placed along the wall, torches burned brightly and helped create an unnerving atmosphere as the light reflected off the stones. And to the far side of the room, two pillars of hellfire intertwined over the embodiment of the dark sorceress's hatred and rage who sat upon a throne.

"You should have turned back when you had a chance," the demon sneered, a wicked grin curling her lips. With the snap of her fingers, the passageway Beast Boy had just walked through was suddenly blocked by a heavy iron portcullis to prevent the aspect of courage from joining in the ensuing battle. This was going to be so much fun for her. Not only would she enjoy draining the life out of the changeling, she would crush any ridiculous hopes of Raven resisting her destiny.

"You…you….you…." the shape shifter stammered as he pointed at the demon.

"Yes, I'm real. And…I'll make you a deal."

"Don't listen to her! Come on BB, kick her ass!" Courage exclaimed, trying to get Beast Boy to act like a man and not a mouse.

"No, listen to me. I know what you want. I know what you need," the red Raven said as she stood toe to toe with the green skinned titan. "And I'll let you have it here and now. Just…fuck me. And once you're finished, you drop this pathetic idea to resist me. What you say? Fuck me and get it over with," she offered sounding incredibly seductive and noticing the effect that she was having.

"No! Beast Boy!" the green cloaked Raven begged. "Fight! Come on!"

"Take me. Use me," the demon repeated, her tone hypnotic and lulling the changeling into a dreamlike state. "I'm all yours."

"She's going to kill you!"

Without any hesitation or the slightest hint she was ready to kill, the devil slammed the palm of her hand into the changeling's ribs and pinned his back up against the gate. With her other hand, she grabbed her victim's neck and dug her nails into the skin so viciously that blood soaked her hand. Moment by moment, the demon took the shape shifter one step closer to death. This intrusion was nothing more than a mere inconvenience, a reminder that she was a god compared to anyone that came to face her. Soon, this boy would see that the will of an all-powerful demon was absolute and anyone that dared to interfere would pay the ultimate price for the arrogance.

But the pain was only just beginning. Seeking to enjoy the suffering as long as possible, the devil used her godlike strength and heaved Beast Boy across the room and watched his body slam into the cold stone floor. With a snap of her fingers, the fire that had danced around her throne manifested into a pair of elite demon guards, loyal to their master to the point of death. And as the Raven covered in red back away, they took their queen's place and proceeded to unleash a torrent of suffering.

"Fight back!" Courage shouted again as she tried to tear down the portcullis.

"You should have taken my offer. You would have felt unimaginable pleasure and died happy," Rage cackled as her servants continued to kick the changeling while he was down.

Trying to block out the mockeries and listen to the encouragement, Beast Boy found his resolve and struggled to his feet. He was not going to fail Raven, not after promising her that he was ready for anything.

Dodging several incoming attacks as his eyes burned with unquenchable fury, he transformed into a bear and unleashed what strength he had left. His teeth bared, he stood on his hind legs and raised his paws towards the ceiling. And allowing gravity to assist him, he brought his claws down and crushed the first of fiery creatures into the ground and left nothing but smoldering ashes. But not even considering congratulating himself on the minor accomplishment, the changeling switched into a bull and charged at the second guard. With blazing speed, he slammed into the demon into one of the pillars and obliterated its physical form. Now it was just him and the monster that kept his Raven from living her life.

"Come on BB," the green cloaked shouted as she continued to shake the metal bars, "get me in on the fight!"

"You truly are a nuisance," Rage snarled as she kicked the changeling under the jaw and sent him back to the ground writing in pain as his teeth rattled.

Holding his mouth as he tried to crawl towards to the door to get some help, Beast Boy felt his ankles burn intensely as strong hands pulled him back to the center of the room. And before he had a chance to transform and fight back or even roll over to look his attack in the eyes, he felt like his skin was being slashed open and his spine torn from his body.

"Please stop," a very shy girl asked peering out from behind green cloth.

"Oh, ok…" the vengeful red cloaked Raven mocked, "just for you…"

"You'll let him go?" the girl in grey asked taking a step out from behind her counterpart.

"Who the fuck do you think I am?" the demon shrieked, causing the timid Raven hiding again.

Attempting to take advantage of the moment, the shape shifter scrambled away as fast as he could and attempted clinging to a pillar to get him back on his feet once more. It was during the short break he became aware of how severe his injuries were. His jaw and spine ached with near immeasurable pain. Blood seemed to flow endlessly from open wounds on his face, chest, and back. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to stop, run away, and ask Raven for a different solution. But when he saw how much pleasure the demon got from striking fear into his girlfriend's timid side, his animal instincts to protect those closest to him took hold as his vampiric nature simultaneous reached an all-time high.

Growling with primal fury to turn the demon's attention back on him, the changeling managed to successfully transform himself into an awe-inspiring dragon. After weeks of failed attempts, Beast Boy finally meshed his new abilities with his old. His form stood over twenty feet tall, had scales hard as steel that reflected the eerie light like polished emeralds, eyes burning with unholy green flames, a thick tail that appeared to be strong enough to break through the stone column without much effort, and claws that appeared sharper than any blade that had or ever would exist. And still, he somehow retained the ability to speak though his voice was much deeper than usual.

"Leave her alone," the shape shifter commanded as he arched his neck and swung one of his claws, catching the demon off guard and crashing her through one of the pillars. And before she managed to get back to her feet, he turned around and crashed his tail into every pillar in the room, burying his adversary in the rubble before reverting from his legendary form and fell to his knees exhausted.

"I despise you!" Rage exclaimed as she broke through the stones and swiftly marched up to the changeling. Again, she grabbed him by the throat. But this time, instead of digging her nails into his skin to torture him, she held him a foot off the ground and began crushing his vertebrae. Perhaps this boy was more than some mere mortal that wanted to win a wild night, but he was still just a boy. And nothing so pathetic would force her to relinquish control of the dark sorceress's life.

"Garfield," the timid Raven cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Take one last look at her," the demon mocked. "She's mine. She belongs to me, will fulfill her destiny, dying for her master. As for you, I will make sure to eliminate any memories she had of you."

Beginning to lose consciousness, Beast Boy knew that he only had enough time for one last defense. With everything he had left, he thrust his both of his feet into his opponent's face and sent the two of them crashing to the ground. And while he was fortunate enough to land on crushed rubble that softened his fall, his enemy did not. She landed on the base of one of the columns he had knocked down minutes before, the jagged stone digging into her back and causing her to cry out in extreme pain.

"Kill me…do it…kill me," the devil ordered.

"No problem," the shape shifter answered as he bared his fangs, ready to dig them into his victim's neck.

"No, don't!" the Raven dressed in yellow commanded, surprising the changeling and making him wonder what the hell was going on. He had the demon right where he wanted her, on her back bleeding and insisting that she be put to death. Now he was being told that he needed to hold back? Wasn't this the moment he had been striving for? He was supposed to set his girlfriend free, not show up and risk his life for nothing. There was no logical explanation for the command. And without a good excuse, there was reason to hold back.

"Do it…kill me you fucking idiot," the demon sneered.

"You kill her, you kill me!" the knowledgeable Raven shouted.

"What?" the changeling looked down at the cruel aspect, over to the one that was telling him to stop, and back down again.

"I'm a part of her. You can't get rid of me without murdering her. I told you, you can't win."

Facing the harsh revelation, Beast Boy struggled to pull himself away as the tears blinded him. He wanted revenge and to drain the life from his fallen opponent or drive his boot down into her chest and finish her off for good. But now he knew that if he gave into his desires, he lost the only reason he had bothered to take up the fight. Plus, since he was in Raven's mind, he would end up digging his own grave. Maybe there was no answer, no solution for the sorceress he adored. After all, she wouldn't have asked him to risk his life for nothing.

In the blink of an eye, his spirits were completely crushed and all he could think about was the fight of his life and how he failed his Raven. All the blood spilled, the devastation he had caused, and even transforming into a mythological beast had been for nothing. His girlfriend was going to be sacrificed by her demon.

"Wait…that's it…" the shape shifter thought, coming to an epiphany he should have never come up with. Maybe his brain was working overtime because he wanted Raven to have the life she wanted. Maybe it was because he didn't want to feel like he had wasted his time. Or maybe it was because the knowledgeable side of Raven was putting ideas in his head.

"You had a chance to run. You had a chance to fuck and walk away. And you choose to die instead," the demon growled standing up as fire whipped around her and forming in impenetrable barrier. No more games, no more fighting, no more stalling. She was going to encapsulate him in flames and burn him alive while he screamed for the mercy he had rejected.

"Do you want to die?" the changeling asked back up against the wall.

"You passed up the opportunity to kill me already."

"You die, Raven dies. It should work the other way around," Beast Boy clarified.

"It does."

"Then if she does what you want her to, you die. Is that what you want?"

"You think you can use a logical argument to make me change my mind. You are even more fucked up in the head then I originally thought."

"What if we could make a deal? Huh?" the shape shifter offered.

"I suppose I can allow you make a final plea. If nothing else, it will amuse me. But make no mistake; you had better make it worth my while. Because if I don't like it, I'll kill you slowly instead," the demon cackled while allowing the changeling to choose the word that would either spare his life or make his last moments hell on earth.

"If me and Raven work out, you leave us alone. But we don't, you get me," changeling offered.

"You're serious, aren't you?" the red robed Raven asked.

"Uh huh…how about it? Good enough?"

Staring at the changeling, the devil couldn't even begin to understand why someone with so much power and potential was willing to throw it all away for someone else. It certainly wasn't for the sex. There was something more, something her mind would never be able to comprehend. But that didn't mean that she was satisfied with the offer. After all, she was the one giving something up for the promise of another soul in the future. That wasn't enough for her. In order to make her accept the deal, Beast Boy was going to have to agree to one of her own stipulations.

"You want Raven to be able to express herself to you without fear of ramifications, fine. But let me make one thing clear, that applies to your flesh and nobody else's. And when you fail to keep your end of the bargain, not only will I own your soul, you will suffer the same fate she does now. Do we have a deal?"

"Alright…it's a deal," the shape shifter nodded after taking several deep breaths to calm himself down. He understood that if he didn't do everything he could to make his relationship work, he lost the perfect woman and everything else he enjoyed in life. There would be no more parties or having good times with his friends without putting their lives at risk. But while it was a terribly high price to pay for failure, he knew Raven would exhaust all options before allowing their relationship to fall by the wayside. And that was something that the demon could not possibly begin to comprehend.

"Well then, I think we're done," the devil grinned as she raised her hand and knocked a weary Beast Boy out cold.

Waking up what might have been hours later, the very first thing the shape shifter noticed was the moonlight night sky. The second was the cold wind chilling him to the bone. And the third was that even though his clothing was torn, his wounds were almost completely healed and there was not a drop of blood on his skin. If there was any doubt in his mind that he had faced Raven's demon, what was left his outfit testified to the fact that he had.

"Oh dude," he groaned as he stood up and looked at himself.

"About time you woke up."

Looking up from his attire, the changeling saw Raven sitting on the ledge and looking him over.

"How did I get here? How long was I out? Why's there no blood? What happened?" the shape shifter asked.

"I brought you here. I'm not sure. I took the liberty of cleaning up the blood that I saw without taking your clothes off. And if I'm not mistake, you succeeded where I couldn't," the dark sorceress answered, tears in the corner of her eyes as she walked over to her boyfriend until she stood toe to toe with him.

"Raven...if we…if things don't…" the changeling stammered.

"Don't talk like that," the half-demon hushed. "I witnessed the price you are willing to pay for me. I won't let that be in vain."

"But how? You weren't there."

"Garfield, ever one you saw was me. I was with you the whole time."

"Do…do you know it really worked?" Beast Boy asked. He didn't want to doubt what Raven had said about him succeeding, but she was still speaking with a very even tone, no sign of emotion in her voice. Surely if she could express herself, she would.

Gently wrapping her arms around his neck, the dark sorceress pulled her changeling into the kiss she had longed to give him since the day she had confessed her feeling to him. It was filled with an unquenchable fiery passion while somehow maintaining a sense of elegance and grace, reflecting Raven perfectly. There was nothing more she could ask for. Everything she had wished for, everything she had denied herself her entire life, everything she was told she could never have, she finally had. It was heaven on earth and she didn't want it to end. This was the moment she showed her boyfriend that everything he had sacrificed and put on the line for her had paid off. And it would continue to do so in ways neither of them could begin to imagine.

"Stay with me tonight," Raven whispered as she broken the kiss.

"Raven," the shape shifter answered as he placed his hands on her hips, "you know I won't be able to keep my hands off of you if I do."

"I'm well aware of that," the empath responded looking into her boyfriend's emerald eyes, "and I don't want you to."

"R-r-really, Rae? I'm not hearing things…am I? I mean got my ass kicked so…" Beast Boy stammered, unable to believe what he was hearing. Maybe it was just his primal instincts messing with his head and substituting the dark sorceress's gratitude for something more carnal.

"Garfield, you're not imagining anything," the dark sorceress reassured. "Just answer my question; will you stay with me tonight?"

Silenced by her question, the changeling wrapped his arms around his half-demon's waist and held her firmly against his chest. And while he didn't want to speak right away for fear that he might say the wrong thing, he had three reasons to talk. First was that his body was already speaking volumes. The second was that he was feeling chilled to the bones, his tattered uniformed doing almost nothing to block out the wind that was beginning to pick up. And third, he had no reason to believe that his mind really was playing tricks on him.

"Yes," Beast Boy answered finally finding his voice. And before he knew it, he was sitting at the foot of Raven's bed with her standing over him and looking down into his eyes with desire.

Without speaking a word, the dark sorceress reached towards the middle of her neck, unhooked her brooch, and allowed her cloak to slip from her shoulder and crumple at her feet. Then giving a seductive grin, she removed her gloves before kicking her shoes off as well. Wearing nothing but her leotard, she straddled her boyfriend's lap and gingerly pushed him back on the bed before leaning in to softly kiss his neck. She had no desire to rush what was happening. Too much time had passed to rush the moment. And if Beast Boy's moans of pleasure and his hands caressing her back were any indications, he wanted it to last as much as she did.

Softly gliding the tips of her fingers over his chest, Raven tightly grasped her changeling's tattered shirt and tore it clean off before he reached behind her head and pushed her into a second, passionate kiss. Their lips pressed together, the dark blindly caressed his well-defined body down to his waistline. And in the heat of the moment, she quickly manipulated the belt buckle, pulled it though the loops, and tossed it to the floor with the rest of the discarded clothing. But as she raised herself several inches off her Beast Boy so she could pull his pants off, she felt him shift his weight and roll on top of her.

"Now it's my turn," the shape shifter whispered into Raven's ear.

Momentarily propping himself up on one of his elbows, the changeling diverted his gaze to his waistband and quickly removed his tattered pants and added them to the growing pile. By the time he looked back to where Raven was lying, she had moved up towards the head of her bed without his noticing.

"Come here, Garfield," the dark sorceress said as she removed her leotard to reveal her dark blue bra and panties, her stare also enticing Beast Boy to obey.

"I didn't know you could be so promiscuous," the changeling breathed as he quickly crawled up in front of her, trying to find a word that might define his girlfriend's unusual demeanor.

"And I didn't know you had such a large vocabulary," the half-demon playfully responded her eyes fixated on the bulge in his boxer shorts, her lust beginning to the better of her. She was well aware she was taking advantage of her newfound freedom and would need to mediate extensively to control herself in the morning, but that was hours away. For now, her savior was going to see the side of her that could never be seen by the rest of their friends.

The teasing causing him to lose whatever was left of his inhibitions, the shape shifter ripped off his boxers before attacking his sorceress's undergarments and finishing off the pile of clothing. In mere seconds, he was staring at her naked flesh, every inch of her alabaster skin completely flawless and begging for some of his attention. Yet before Beast Boy could act, Raven reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and rolled over on top of him. And try as he might to get back in the dominate position, the Raven was having none of it. She kept enough pressure on the center of his chest to keep him pinned to the sheets as she positioned herself over his erection.

Feeling her gently wrap a hand around the base of his cock and slowly lowering herself onto him, Beast Boy cried out in pure pleasure. Just the feeling of penetrating his sorceress was enough to make him feel like he wasn't going to last for very long. It felt so tight, so perfect, so close to heaven that it had to be forbidden for anyone to feel such ecstasy. And as the last inch of his length pushed inside Raven's womanhood, he rested his hands on her hips before they found a rhythm that provided the most rapturous delight while making it last as long as possible. They had certainly gone through far too much to end the night early.

"Yes, Garfield, yes!" the half-demon screamed, arching her back and offering Beast Boy the chance to be a little more aggressive.

Instinctively noticing the opportunity, the changeling forced his dark sorceress on her back, placed his hands on the mattress, and gave himself better leverage to force himself deeper. And as thrust faster and hard, the pressure in his groin started to build, warning him that he wasn't going to be able to hold himself back much longer. Already it was borderline painful to hold back. He needed a miracle, a second wind to assure himself that he would make Raven have an orgasm as well. He wouldn't be able to see it as perfect if she didn't.

Gritting his teeth, Beast Boy tried to focus solely on what his girlfriend was telling him to do and ignore his dire need to give in. Go faster, go slower, thrust harder, or not so rough. As he followed every command and kneaded her breasts, he watched Raven grasping at the sheets and mutter her mantra to suppress her body's encroaching climax. But from his point of view, the changeling could see that it wasn't working. The sensation was too much, too far out of her control to stop herself now.

"Garfield…" the dark sorceress screamed, her eyes suddenly opening wide, "I…I…oh…yes…oh Garfield yes!"

"Raven…" the shape shifter cried out. Seconds from being sent over the edge as he felt her walls tighten, he still had the presence of mind to start pulling out to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.

"No…don't," the half-demon demanded as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "It's ok…I plan everything…so you don't…have to worry," she exclaimed.

With those words spoken, Beast Boy reached up under her arms and over her should, made sure that he was fully inside his Raven, released all the tension he used to make sure his body didn't give in too soon, and came deep. And as he filled her with his seed, he collapsed. He was completely exhausted and knew he wasn't going to be awake for much longer. Every precious second of consciousness he had left, he was going to revel in while he held his lover close.

"Rae," the changeling said between deep breaths as his eyes started to close. "I love you…more…."

"Shh," the half-demon hushed as she rolled him over and rested her head over his heart, "I know."

"Was I…good…?"

"You were wonderful. And I'm sure we'll both try different things to make it even better in the future," Raven answered as she listened to his heartbeat. She was satisfied in ways she had never thought possibly, ways that were supposed to be forbidden to her. Now she was finally able to see the promise of a new day with unfettered optimism as another landmark in her relationship with her changeling had been reached. They had met as strangers, worked together as friends, and were now sleeping as lovers.


	7. Chapter 7

Waking up to the warmth of the morning sun's rays dancing across her face, Starfire prepared to take on the world with optimism and enthusiasm. And while that was nothing new, she was especially hopeful that this was going to be the day Robin finally took her out on a date. After all, he had told her that if the city seemed relatively calm and the team was back to normal, he would find the time to accept her offer. With the way things had been going in recent weeks, it looked like it was time for the boy wonder to make good on his promise.

Certainly someone of his caliber wouldn't suddenly change his mind, not when a date meant so much to her. He had always prided himself on being perfectly honest with her, even if what he said weren't things she wanted to hear. Naturally there were times that he hadn't lived up to his standards. He had tricked the team into thinking he was a master thief just for the opportunity to get Slade's trust so he could glean some additional intelligence. And there had been times that he hadn't been completely forthcoming with his explanations as to why he acted the way he did. But those white lies seemed so insignificant and unrelated to spending a romantic evening with her. Surely his moral code wouldn't allow him to build up her spirits just to tear them down, right?

Firmly believing that there was no way Robin could act that heartless towards her, Starfire was happy to have been so patient. While it had been no small task, there were some advantages to having waited so long. For example, she had learned to not so much as hint at protecting the city or the team's overall mission. If she did, it would be all the boy wonder would be able to talk about. But at the same time, the princess needed to get her potential boyfriend to talk about something, something that would make him happy and open up to her a little more. If in the end, what she found out about him wasn't what she wanted, the Tameranean knew she would be devastated for having spent so much time waiting for nothing.

But Starfire was convinced that wasn't how it was going to play out. Robin was very defensive and had some rough edges; she couldn't deny that. He just needed someone that cared enough to refine him, cut through his façade, and help him see that there was a lot more to life than just running a team and fighting criminals. He needed her to give him a new perspective and reason to live. It would require a lot of time and effort, but if the boy wonder was willing to change, he could. And the benefits were sure to outweigh the costs. He wouldn't feel pressured all the time, he'd be more fun to have around while the team was enjoying their downtime, and generally be a better leader.

And given how honest he normally was, he would have to acknowledge that it had largely been due to Starfire's efforts. That admission, the removal of some of the boy wonder's armor could end up laying the groundwork for their relationship. From there, the possibilities were practically endless.

As she quickly showered and got dressed, the alien princess tried to imagine what Robin would decide they should do together and when exactly. Maybe they wouldn't go very far and just relax together. That didn't sound like his style so perhaps they would do something fun, something that didn't include combat in any form. Or maybe they would just share a nice romantic meal together to get to know each other more personally. Whatever they ended up doing, she hoped that by spending some time together she would finally make him see that they were meant to be together.

Heading for the door, Starfire earnestly beseeched her goddess once more for a sign that this was the day she had been waiting for. All her other prayers had been answered, so why not this one as well? The good weather was still holding, offering the perfect setting for a date. Beast Boy had rejoined the team and seemed like he was doing better than ever. And the city's crime rate was on a steady decline: Slade had dropped off the face of the face of the planet left no clues as to his whereabouts, most of the dangerous criminals like Jinx and her gang were either imprisoned or hiding, and the few criminals the titans had dealt with were almost trivial. It was as though Robin's dream of his team creating a utopia was beginning to come to fruition. After years of struggling to cleanse the city, it might finally be mission accomplished. Perhaps the realization of those specific developments was the sign that the Tameranean had been asking for.

With a slight bounce in her step, the princess made her way downstairs to the kitchen hoping that Robin wasn't already there preparing his morning meal and getting into his routine. If he was, there was little chance of getting him to change his schedule. However, if she managed to get to the kitchen first, she might be able to get the boy wonder to go out for breakfast and make him reevaluate what was truly important. Criminals came and went. The challenges that he sought would eventually be overcome until there were none left. She was willing to be by his side until death came between them.

Upon entering the main hall, Starfire found that the kitchen hadn't been used since the night before. Now more than ever, she believed providence was telling her that the wait was finally over. That was, until the next twenty minutes passed by without a sign from the boy wonder. But even more puzzling was that none of the other titans had shown up either. Had they all decided they were going to take the day off, sleep in late, and not tell her about it? That didn't sound like the friends she knew. It might have been possible that they had all eaten something at dinner that made them ill except for the fact that Beast Boy hadn't been present. And a combination of three of her friends being sick at the same time and the changeling sleeping in late somehow didn't ring true. There certainly was a reason why everyone was running late; she just could come up with a suitable hypothesis.

As her heart began to sink, the sound of the door opening behind her made the Tameranean spin around with hope in her eyes, only to have it quickly fade when she saw that it was Cyborg.

"Morning, Star," he said as he peered into the fridge and started to rummage around for something to eat.

"Good morning," Starfire answered, her voice showing how upset she was.

"What's bothering you?" the titanium titan asked as he began frying some ham and eggs on the stove. Completely unaware of the promise Robin had made, he was sure it was too early for something to darken her cheerful mood.

Not being the type of person to deal with a problem on her own especially when a friend offered a shoulder to lean on, the princess began to speak what was on her mind.

"I understand that Raven instructed me to wait for Richard to approach me for a date, but I could not. When I asked him again, he stated that if the city appeared to be safe and Beast Boy no longer needed our assistance, he would spend time with me. I prayed fervently that his conditions would be met and I believe that they have. Yet now he is not here at a time he normally is and I do not understand why. I cannot believe that he would not remember nor break his promise. I am correct, am I not?" the alien princess inquired as Cyborg sat across the table from her with his plate of food set in front of him.

"Well, I do know that Rich was complaining about his ribs still hurting him where BB hit him," the human hybrid responded as he looked like he was trying to come up with a reason that might be able to explain the boy wonder's unusual absenteeism. "Maybe he didn't sleep very well? It's just a guess. But like you said, he wouldn't make a promise if he didn't plan on keeping it."

"I thank you for your answer, friend," Starfire replied staring at the empty table in front of her as her frustration began to turn into fury. It wasn't fair that her dreams had to be put on hold yet again because of an unnecessary sparring match. Robin had to have known that Beast Boy was going to act like he was fighting for his livelihood since that was precisely what was on the line. How could he have allowed his wellbeing to be needlessly risked when there were other commitments he had made?

But while she was only slowing becoming upset with the titan commander, the Tameranean's rage burned fiercely against the changeling. He should have known not to hit so hard. There had been plenty of time between catching the roundhouse kick and slamming his knee into the boy wonder's ribs for him to know how powerful his strike was going to be. Beast Boy had hit harder then he needed to just for the sake of showing off. Couldn't he have shown some restraint? Had he been so aggressive because the taunts had gotten under his skin? Why didn't he simply sweep the leg or push Robin in the chest to achieve victory? He would have dispersed all doubt about him being ready to go on missions again, the boy wonder wouldn't be suffering from injured ribs, and a seemingly perfect chance for a date wouldn't end up passing her by.

"You want me to make you something to eat? Might cheer you up," Cyborg offered as he cleaned off his plate and noticed the princess clenching her jaw tight.

"No thank you. I do not feel hungry," Starfire stated, refusing to shift her gaze towards her friend.

"You should eat something," Robin yawned as slowly walked into the kitchen.

"Richard!" the Tameranean exclaimed as she snapped out of her despair. Instantly, she was wrapped in the warmth of optimism that she knew while forgetting about being infuriated. There was still some disappointment from having had waited longer then she had anticipated, but that would be overlooked in a matter of minutes. All the princess could think was that her goddess had heard her prayers. Robin did look like he had one of the worst nights in recent months, but that didn't matter now. There was only one question that needed to be resolved; was she going to ask him out again or was he going to remember his promise? When Starfire saw the boy wonder reaching for a bowl and a box of cereal, it was all too clear.

"You look like hell," Cyborg commented, "your ribs still bothering you?"

"Nah, they just feel a little sore. I was up all night trying to figure out what Slade is up to. He wouldn't just disappear for no reason. There's something I'm missing and it's really starting to get to me," Robin clarified as he set his breakfast on the table.

"Then perhaps instead of searching for an answer, you should honor the promise you made to me," the Tameranean suggested, causing the boy wonder to pause before he added the milk.

"What promise?" the titanium titan asked with curious interest.

"Richard told me that if he believed the city was not in danger and Beast Boy had rejoined the team, he would take me out on a date," Starfire responded as her excitement started to make her visibly anxious for her crush's response.

Feeling as though the eyes of the world were upon him, Robin didn't feel like he had much of a choice. There was always the option of stating that he was far too busy, but it would be blatantly obvious that he was just looking for things to be worried about. Plus, there were multiple reasons for him to go on a date with the princess. First, the promise he had made to Starfire had all of its stipulations met. Secondly, he couldn't argue with her logic. Staying up all night trying to figure Slade out wasn't working for him. Maybe if he relaxed and didn't think about it too much, the answer would just come to him. And finally, he had no interest in making himself a liar. Even if he wasn't able to make things work out, he would always have his integrity.

However always being plagued by fear of the unknown and self-doubt he fought to keep hidden from the team, the boy wonder could stop himself from thinking that he might end up weakening the team. How could he be absolutely sure that showing his emotions wasn't going to be used against him? What if it caused him to put everyone and everything he cared about in grave danger because his job wasn't his top priority anymore? Would he be able to forgive himself if one of his teammate ended up dead because he wasn't able to make the right choices? Could they ever find it in their hearts to exonerate him? And beyond that, Robin started to wonder whether or not the team was meant to stay united and watch over a city that had come to depend on their unique talents. There were so many questions he wanted to answer before he made a decision. But without the being clairvoyant, he was going to have to take a leap of faith. And he knew it too.

"Star," the titan commander said setting down his spoon as he bowing his bed before looking up and staring her in the eyes, "I think you're right."

"You are being truthful, yes?" the alien princess asked, almost unable to believe what she was hearing.

"I made a promise and I'm not going to break it."

"This is a most glorious day," the Tameranean cried with tears of joy in her eyes. In a flash, she grasped the boy wonder's hand and unleashed a plethora of questions that ran so close together that he wasn't able to a word in edgewise. Were they going to leave immediately or was it his intention to take her out for lunch instead? Did he know where they were going to eat or was he going to wing it? Was she going to need to get dressed in something more formal or was her current attire appropriate? Was it going to be a relatively quick date with somewhat minimal conversation or were they going to spend hours upon hours together talking about what the future might hold for them? Was he going out with her to make good on a promise and make her happy or was he doing it for his own pleasure as well? Did he have certain expectations from her or was their relationship going to be guided by elements of chance? How much was he willing to sacrifice to overcome problems they were sure to have? The list of inquiries continued until Robin put his hands up in surrender, trying to signal that some of those questions would be answer in time and not in front of any of the other titans.

"There's a small restaurant in town that makes some of the best waffles I've ever had," the titan commander answered while the alien princess caught her breath. "We'll leave now and see how things go. But I'm taking my communicator just in case there's an emergency. Even though this is our first time going out together, we still have a responsibility to keep this city safe."

"Let us go and hope that our time together will not be ended prematurely," Starfire stated, desiring to make the most of what time she would get with the boy wonder.

Before Cyborg could say anything or really knew what was happening, he was left alone in an empty room with only a bowl of cereal and a carton of milk left on the table. And while he did spent time by himself, it was often because he was working on a project that none of his friends could help him with. With having so much downtime in recent weeks, everything that he wanted to make had been finished and upgraded several times even. If he really wanted to, he could work on his car. But it was running so well that he would just make problems that had to be fixed before the team was dealing with back to back missions day after day. Maybe he should just play a couple of videogames and burn some time while he waited for Robin and Starfire to get back from their date. It was certainly better than just standing around wondering what to do.

Grabbing a couple cans of soda before taking a seat on the sofa and picking up a game controller, the titanium titan started to wonder where Raven was. While it wasn't uncommon for the changeling to sleep in and not show up until after lunch, the half-demon was much like the boy wonder in that she tried to adhere to a personal schedule. Before morning practice was called she would focus on controlling her emotions and finish her cup of tea. Afterwards she gave advice to her friends if they asked for it, read one of her novels, meditate if she thought it was necessary, and waited to go back to bed so she could start her routine all over again. It certainly wasn't like her to be starting her day so late.

While Cyborg was curious as to why Raven was being delayed, experience told him that unless she asked for help she would take care of herself. After all, she mended broken bones and eased the suffering of her friends. So if she was ill, why couldn't she use those same abilities to ward off diseases? However, that was assuming that she was sick. Maybe she had decided that she was going to skip drinking tea and read in her room. Maybe she hadn't slept well and ended up running late like Robin had. Maybe she was deep in meditation and lost track of time. There could very well be hundred so possible reasons the dark sorceress was running later than usual. But the ones closest to the truth never entered his mind. And even if they had, he would have dismissed them as completely ridiculous.

Forty-five minutes later with no sign of the dark sorceress, Cyborg went from being curious to being downright concerned for his friend. Tossing his game controller on the coffee table, he got to his feet with the intention of assuring himself that nothing terrible had happened. The worst tragedies were the ones that happened overnight, striking quickly and without warning. Each of the titans had lived through a terrible misfortune and there was no guarantee that they wouldn't have to go through it all over again. The only difference from those past experiences and now was that the team had each other's understanding to help ease at the pain.

But just as he took the first steps to head towards the door, Raven walked in and took a seat on the sofa as though she to say that there was nothing to be concerned about. So she hadn't come downstairs for her morning tea or witnessed Starfire take the boy wonder out for their first date. While that information reinforced the dark sorceress's status as the team's counselor, Cyborg was fairly sure that she would rather resolve all her problems before thinking about celebrating her friend's success. And that caused the titanium titan to reconsider the idea that something was bothering his little sister. There had to be something truly troubling her to through her schedule off. Was it a good idea for him to try getting involved? Or would Raven just refuse his help, insisting that she deal with her problems her way? There was only one way to satisfy his curiosity. He had to strike up a conversation with the team's version of a silent protective watcher.

"Star got Robin to go out with her for breakfast," Cyborg said sitting down, hoping to use some small talk to get a discussion going.

"Good," the dark sorceress answered directly, her voice not showing the slightest hint of emotion. While she was happy to hear why two of her friends weren't present and practice hadn't been called, she knew the alien princess would tell her everything. First, they were the best of friends. That bond had been formed when they had switched bodies. And secondly, Starfire often demonstrated a keen desire to share her joy with all her friends. Even though Raven appreciated what she thought to be Cyborg's intentions, there was no need to hear about the date secondhand.

"Um…ok. Is there something bothering you?" the titanium titan asked, deciding that it would just be better to get straight to the point.

"I'm fine," Raven responded as she looked up from her book. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, you're usually not late unless you're sick. And you don't look sick," the mechanical hybrid explained.

"I didn't sleep much and had to meditate more then usual," the half-demon answered.

With such a straight answer and his conscience telling him that he shouldn't try to push for details, Cyborg picked up his controller and resumed playing his game. But after several failed attempts, he started to wonder how Beast Boy had managed to slip through a minefield while avoiding a hailstorm of bullets and mortar fire. Even after pulling off a seemingly impossible sneak attack that completely avoided the frontlines, his character still ended up killed. Either the changeling had cheated, found a secret passage, or somehow skipped the level entirely. Whatever it was, the titanium titan was tired of seeing the screen flashing red and turned off the television. There were more important things he could do then sit around shaking his fist at the screen.

Getting up off the sofa a second time, the mechanical hybrid noticed his little brother standing at the water's edge just staring out over the ocean like he was waiting for something. He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there, but it seemed eerily similar to what he had done for weeks after Terra had left him. Hoping for the best while fearing the worst, Cyborg went outside to find out what Beast Boy was up to. Over a year of support and therapy would for nothing if he went back to thinking about the geomancer as the one that got away.

"BB," the titanium titan said coming up behind his friend. "Hey, grass stain," he said a little louder when he got no response.

"Oh hey," the changeling said turning his head, "what's up?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you. What are you doing out here? You're not thinking about her are you?"

"You mean Terra? Nah, I haven't thought about her 'til you brought her up."

"Oh, sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. We're cool."

"So…what were you doing?"

"Just thinking," the shape shifter answered cryptically as he thought about being a little more specific. He really didn't enjoy keeping secrets from the team. They were his closest friends, almost always there to help him when he needed it even if they sometimes acted like they didn't care. And in the hierarchy of who he trusted most, his big brother was second only to Raven. It was Cyborg who approached him about his bad attitude and how it damaged the team's moral, helped him find ways to get his mind off of Terra completely, suggested that he get additional help from Raven which had not only ended up giving him a covert romance but ended up saving his life as well, and recommended that take a break from missions so he could sort out his life more effectively. In addition to all those things that Cyborg did to save him from despair, they had fun together: pulling pranks, playing videogames, and whatever else their two brains could come up with. There was no question about it; the titanium titan was an all-round great person to have around.

Still, that didn't make telling his friend about his condition any easier. While there were countless reasons for the idea to not be taken seriously, it could only end one of three ways. Cyborg would think he had lost his mind, keep treating him as a friend, or try to avoid him as much as possible. And without a way to test for a reaction, it came down to how much Beast Boy was willing to risk.

"Well, I guess I'll just go back inside since you look like you want to be alone right now," the titanium titan finally announced after the changeling started to stare out at the horizon again.

"Wait," Beast Boy shouted, causing Cyborg to stop dead in his tracks. "There's something I need to tell you," he said in a calmer voice as he took a deep breath.

With his palms sweating as his fists trembled at his side, the shape shifter hoped his choice of words would sound diplomatic. Because whatever he said next could very well be the last thing he would say to his best friend. At the very least, he didn't want to discredit the surgeries that had been performed while he lay in a coma.

"Yesterday, when I told Robin that I'm stronger then I look…wait, lemme try that again. Um…I'm not normal. No, wait…"

"Just take a breath and calm down, BB," Cyborg instructed as he saw how much fear was written in Beast Boy's eyes. And while he really wanted to know what his little brother wanted to tell him, he preferred to not see him lose his mind. There would be plenty of chances in the future for the changeling to make his confession, announcement, or whatever it was to be called. It could wait for a later date. There was certainly no rush.

"I'm a vampire," the shape shifter blurted out, forgoing any diplomacy.

"Say again? I could have sworn that you said you were a vampire," the titanium titan chuckled, thinking that something was going wrong with his system. Surely there was a glitch in his system. Even if Beast Boy said some really crazy things over the years, he wouldn't claim to be a fabled monster. Hadn't he spent years trying to convince the public that they couldn't judge him for his green skin? Something wasn't lining up.

"I'm a vampire, a real one," the changeling stated as he tried to not feel disappointed. He had to try putting himself in Cyborg's shoes. How would he have reacted if their roles were reversed? Would he have taken the announcement seriously or would he have laughed too? Even though Beast Boy wanted to tell himself that he would have believed his friend, he knew he was just lying to himself.

"I see," the mechanical titan mumbled under his breath as he took a seat on the rocky shore, the jovial expression on his face fading while he tried to come up with a better response. Not once had he thought that the some of the creatures he had seen in movies were actually real. He had always assumed they were fictional, just characters in a story. Then again, he hadn't really believed anything that couldn't be explained by science until he met Raven. That had been the first time he seen proof of the paranormal. And more evidence had filtered since then. With all his memories acting as his advisor, the titanium titan had to at least consider that Beast Boy wasn't trying to make a joke.

But there was also an element of fear that came along with accepting the revelation. Vampires were supposedly merciless creatures that crept through the shadows as they sought a victim to devour. They cared for nothing and took what they wanted. Was that what the changeling was claiming to be? Was he trying to stay on the team so he had a reputation to hide behind? Did he intend to make the titans his first victims? That didn't sound anything like the friend he knew. Beast Boy was his friend, everyone's friend, not a monster.

Closing his eyes, Cyborg forced the questions from his mind. He had to remember the good times he had shared with the shape shifter. They had spent countless hours playing videogames, watching movie after movie, planning and pulling pranks, and just hanging out together. It was those memories that he needed to focus on; not what he had seen in horror films.

"I was hoping that we could still be friends. I just thought I could tell you…" Beast Boy said as turned around and stared out at the ocean. Every second that his friend kept silent was torture, like a knife was being stabbed in his back repeatedly. An answer, any answer, was better than getting nothing but a blank expression.

"B, we've spent a lot of time hanging out over the years so I can tell that you're being serious with me," Cyborg finally answered as he got to his feet and brushed the dirt from his legs. "And even though I'm really having a hard time believing you, I'll give it a chance. Just promise me one thing."

"What?" the changeling inquired, curious to know the stipulation as he felt some sense of relief.

"Make sure you ask Raven to help you. The last thing I want is for you to do something you'll regret."

"Why do you think I've be talking to her so much?" the shape shifter asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

"I thought you were trying to flirt with her," Cyborg answered before laughing. And when he saw his friend shake his head as he stared at the ground, he figured that his joke had been taking all in stride. But if he had been able to see the changeling grinning, he might realized that there was a lot more than just flirting going on between Beast Boy and the dark sorceress.

Meanwhile, somewhere across town, the Tameranean princess was standing on the top of a skyscraper with the boy wonder. Although he thought the date to be over and they were simply making a stop before getting back to the tower, she did not. There were so many questions she wanted Robin to answer. While he had given satisfactory responses to many of them, he had tried to avoid others. But now that they were hundreds of feet in the air with only some birds keeping them company, there was no need to make excuses. How was anyone standing on the ground going to overhear what he said?

And Starfire could point out one other reason for the titan commander had to be completely honest with her. There was no way he could get down from his perch by himself. He didn't have wings. His cape didn't double as a glider or parachute. And his grappling device would leave him hanging about thirty feet above the sidewalk. Death might not result from a drop from that height, but he would definitely be hurting for a while. He might enjoy pushing the limits of the human body, but surely he wasn't willing to risk paralysis just to keep a secret. That wasn't just foolish, it was selfish too.

"Alright, we can head back when you're ready, Star," the boy wonder said rising from his crouched position.

"I must first know if we shall do this again in the future. You were unwilling to date me for so long, I do not wish for this to never happen again. Please tell me, did you enjoy my company? Do you truly love me? Or did you agree to come with me to honor your promise?" the Tameranean asked as she hovered inches over the edge and turned to look the titan commander in his eyes. Although she was sure of the answer he would give, there was the smallest faction of her mind that wasn't entirely convince that Robin loved her the same way she loved him. That voice needed to be put to rest. Only an straight answer would suffice. No explanations, no speeches, just a simple yes or no.

"Why would I go out with you if I didn't care about you?" the titan commander asked as the cold wind swirled around his feet.

"That is not the same as love. I care for our friends but I love you," the princess answered, clarifying her question and offering a second chance to answer the question at hand.

"Star," Robin said taking a deep breath as he looked into her emerald eyes, longing to give the answer he knew she wanted to hear, "I really want to say that I do but…"

"What have I failed to do? Have I not waited patiently for you? Have I not made this world my home so that we may be together? Do you only care for protecting your city? Starfire shouted, her eyes burning with rage as she thought about going back to the tower and leave the boy wonder to his fate. How date he look her in the eyes and essentially admit that he had played with her emotions. How could he think he was so righteous when he was willing to commit treachery?

"Please don't misunderstand me. I just don't want to see you get hurt," the boy wonder answered.

"You do not need to worry about me anymore," the infuriated princess said turning around.

"No, wait!" Robin begged. "Let me explain."

"Why should I not leave you here? I have given you everything and you only care."

"I'm scared, ok? I'm scared that if anyone finds out how I feel, eventually it will get back to Slade. And I know he'd be willing to do anything to you just to get to me. He almost killed Beast Boy on my account. If I ended up losing you…I…" the titan commander stammered as he remembered how the changeling's near-death experience had shaken him to the core. That pain would be nothing compared to what he could face if his nemesis found the perfect way to control him. He might be forced back into apprenticeship, using his skills to destroy a city he wanted to protect. Or worse than that, Slade might decide to hold him hostage and force Starfire to do his dirty work. There was no better way to break down the titans then turn them against each other.

"If you will always fear what Slade may do to you, you will never defeat him or understand my feelings," the alien princess responded, her temper beginning to relax as she made a very profound statement. It was almost as though she understood the psychology of war just as well as, if not better than, the boy wonder. And still she was willing to put her heart on the line. What made her any less vulnerable to the criminal mastermind's devices? What moral standing did she possess that Robin did not? Or perhaps the reverse, what code did the boy wonder live by that Slade wanted to manipulate so badly that he considered the rest of the titans pests, inconveniences that needed to be pushed out of the way?

"Kori," Robin whispered as he started down at the people going on about their business, "you're right. I haven't really lived my life. I've let Slade control me and I didn't even notice. And I'm sorry. I ignored you, tried to keep you away, and didn't think about how much I might have been hurting you. If you can forgive me, I'd really like to start over."

"Of course I shall forgive you," Starfire exclaimed as she embraced the boy wonder and held him tightly to her chest.

"Ribs…my ribs," the titan leader gasped.

"I am so happy, Richard," the Tameranean titan responded as she loosened her hug. "Let us return home. We must tell the others immediately."

Back at the tower, Beast Boy was relaxing on the sofa whist guiding Cyborg through the level he had been struggling with. He wanted to prove that no matter what had happened, they were friends and there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of. Fear would breed paranoia. Paranoia leads to distrust. And somewhere down the line, they could become enemies. If that was bound to happen, the changeling wanted to make sure that that day was going to be decades in the making. So by the time neither wanted to talk to each other, they were only seconds away from dying.

At the same time, the shape shifter wondered why his big brother wasn't asking very many questions. There had been an initial few before the subject was dropped. If the situation was reversed and he had just found out his best friend was a vampire, Beast Boy knew he'd be talking about it until his mouth was taped shut. Then again, maybe he should just count his blessings and be grateful Cyborg wasn't grilling him. Robin would probably make up for that once he became aware of a hidden truth.

That distracted Beast Boy for a moment and got him to wonder where the boy wonder was. He had been so eager to reveal one of his biggest secrets that he hadn't noticed that no practice had been called, no mutterings about Slade being up to something, or anything else that Robin was known for doing around the tower. It was like he was gone; overnight he had disappeared into the sky and left his team behind. And speaking of disappearing into the sky, where was Starfire? Was she with Robin? Had after so many years the boy wonder had finally admitted the obvious and decided that it about time to have something a normal life?

"Vic, do you know where Dick and Kori are?" the changeling asked as his friend reached the final safe house before facing one of the toughest boss encounters in the game. "By the way, the RPG is in the corner," he added.

"Thanks and yes," Cyborg answered as he saved his progress.

"Good. I hope went well."

"I want to say that's nice of you, but I have a feeling there's another reason. What is it?" the titanium titan asked making sure to pause his game before he looked at the changeling quizzically.

"Well, if his date went good, maybe he won't get so pissed off with me. I mean, how can you have a good time, come back, and get upset? I would have said something yesterday after practice, but after what I did to Dick, I thought it might be kicked off the team permanently."

"I don't think he would have kicked you off the team, BB."

"Vic, do you really think that he would be fine with me breaking his ribs if he knew what had happened to me? 'Cause I don't. He was trying to piss me off more than usual during our fight yesterday…"

"Because Raven asked him to," Cyborg countered, revealing some information that he probably shouldn't have.

"What? Why would she do that to me?" Beast Boy questioned, unsure of how he should be feeling. It was so underhanded, so unlike her that he could hardly believe his ears.

"She wanted to test you. She said you wouldn't be so careless anymore and Dick didn't believe her. So she told him to do his worst. At the time, I didn't know why. But now I think I do."

"A test?" the shape shifter muttered under his breath as he tried to think of a few explanations. Was it to validate his apparent success and the confidence she had in him? Had Robin's comment insulted her so she decided to retaliate by using his previous successes to teach a valuable lesson? Did she do it to make sure he was up to the task of battling her demon? Or was there another reason that he couldn't come up with? No matter what the reason was exactly, the changeling managed to view it in a positive light. After all, she was his Raven. All she ever did was try to make him better. And if that meant she had used the feud he had with the boy wonder, Beast Boy only admired her that much more.

"Yeah, a test," the mechanical hybrid replied. "I told you a thousand times, she does think of you as a friend. But don't tell her I said anything. She might put my car on the roof or something."

"I don't think she'd do that to you."

"What won't I do?" the dark sorceress asked seeming to come out of nowhere.

"Um, you know I think I need to make sure my baby's safe," Cyborg stated getting up.

"Hold on. What are you talking about?" Raven questioned again as she held up a hand to stop the titanium titan's exit. With the sound of breaking glass coming from the kitchen reminding her that the freedom she could enjoy with her boyfriend was nullified by Victor's presence, she quickly got her sorcery under control.

"I heard what you and Rich were talking about yesterday," the titanium titan answered as he scanned the quickest route to his workshop so he could protect his car in case the dark sorceress decided she wanted to get back at him.

"Victor, you'll have to be more specific than that."

"He said you were using Robin to test me," the changeling interjected.

"Oh?" the half-demon responded in a fairly even tone. "Why would I do that, Victor?"

"I'm guessing it might have to do with BB's…um…condition," human hybrid replied.

"Dude, you can just call me what I am. It's not like I'm going to bite you for it," Beast Boy encouraged while he tossed in a joke for good measure.

"Have you eavesdropped on anything else you shouldn't have?" the half-demon inquired as she stared Cyborg dead in the eyes.

"No, I promise. It was an accident."

Taking a moment to respond while she repeated the somewhat panicked answer in her mind, Raven chose to drop the subject entirely. Even though she wasn't pleased that one of her teammates had overheard a conversation that wasn't meant for his ears, it had allowed her an opportunity to see what else he might know without forcing her to act out of character.

And she really couldn't blame him too much anyways. The whole conversation she had with the boy wonder hadn't been in a private setting; she had challenged the titan commander outside the gym minutes before practice. If she had really wanted to assure herself that the whole discussion would be kept secret, she would have taken the necessary precautions. For that reason alone, it was easy to forgive. But when she also factored in the knowledge that Cyborg wasn't aware of her prime motive, the whole issue became trivial. Plus, there were other matters that were demanding her attention.

Initially the dark sorceress had believed that after she and Beast Boy consummated their relationship, it would only be a matter of days before she formally informed the team. But now she wasn't so sure. Her changeling's announcement was sure to rattle what sense of normality the titan's had. They would need time to get used to knowing that a longstanding ally had been resurrected as a vampire. And being that they all came from different backgrounds, it could be awhile for her friends to overcome their personal predispositions. Cyborg seemed to have gotten used to the revelation fairly quickly, likely because he had a close friendship with the changeling. But Robin and Starfire could hold out on acceptance for days, weeks, months, maybe even years.

Over the years, the princess had demonstrated how difficult it was for her to challenge beliefs she had always accepted. And because she had never really talked extensively about Tameranean folklore or the creatures that might have evolved from the tales, Raven was faced with a mystery. Vampire might be considered blessed beings that required sacrifices for their continued protection, an idea that suited Beast Boy fairly well. Perhaps the whole idea of the living dead was a completely foreign subject and a chance for Starfire to learn something new about Earth's culture. Or just as possible was that vampires were thought to be purely evil and none deserved to be spared the blade, no matter who they were or what they had done in their past lives. There simply wasn't a way to know for sure without raising some suspicion.

However, the most random reaction to the new had to belong to the boy wonder. Even though he would never admit to it, many of his responses were based entirely on how much success he was having against Slade. If he was making no progress or not as much as he thought he could be making, he could very easily take his frustrations out on an unsuspecting changeling. Under those conditions, Robin would likely say that he should have been informed immediately, that because he was in charge, he needed to be aware of significant changes to his team. And just as likely was for him to think Beast Boy had finally gone off the deep end. But maybe after having a lot of downtime, he would just pat the shape shifter on the shoulder and be done with it. That wasn't very likely, but stranger things had happened.

Heading towards the kitchen to make some tea that would help keep her emotions settled down, Raven decided that she was going to have to convince her changeling to keep their relationship hidden a little while longer. And while it certainly posed a challenge, there were three distinct methods she could use to keep her boyfriend silent. First, she could think of reasons to keep things secret faster than he could up with reasons to tell. Secondly, she had been the one to ask him for a chance, not the other way around. And finally, she could think of things that were sure to keep his mind occupied. A devilish grin crossed her face as the last idea as the mug in her hand shattered.

"Damn it," the dark sorceress cursed. Reclaiming control over her powers was being a lot more complicated then she had anticipated.

"You ok?" her shape shifter asked turning around on the sofa and looking at her with a reasonable amount of concern. It was enough to show that he was worried about her but not enough to make the titanium titan wonder what was going on.

"I'm fine," Raven responded as she cleaned up her mess. "Go back to playing your game."

"Hey, did Vic tell you about Star?" the changeling questioned.

"Grass stain, are you looking for trouble? Leave the girl alone," Cyborg suggested.

"It's alright, Victor. I have been struggled with my curiosity," the half-demon answered, hoping nothing was said to pry into her half-truth.

"Yeah, they went out for breakfast," the shape shifter informed.

"I'll let Kori tell me everything," the dark sorceress replied before pouring her tea and taking a quick sip.

Leaning back against the counter as Beast Boy and Cyborg went back to staring at the television, the half-demon hoped that the alleged date would end well. But before she could even start to think of what might happen if Starfire had her heart broken, the Tameranean burst in through the front door and put those thoughts to rest.

"Friends," the alien princess exclaimed as Robin followed close behind. "I have the most wondrous news."

Already able to tell what was coming, Raven smiled to herself and waited.

"You had a good time?" Beast Boy asked as he finally got up to get a soda.

"Much more than that," Starfire stated as she grabbed the boy wonder's hand and pulled him close to her. "Richard loves me. He told me he did."

"About damn time," Cyborg commented as he looked over his shoulder.

"So you're both in a good mood?" the changeling asked.

"Most certainly," the Tameranean answered.

"Yeah, I am," Robin added curious to know why the shape shifter was so interested how they were feeling. It seemed to be a rather unusual question to ask someone coming back from a date. Wasn't a more normal question something like where did you go, what did you do, or even what took so long?

"Great, glad you two are happy," Beast Boy stated.

"Beast Boy, is there something wrong? You jealous?" the boy wonder asked.

"Nah, nothing's wrong."

"Come on, out with it," the titan commander ordered.

Looking at Cyborg and then to Raven before staring at the new couple, Beast Boy hoped that he wasn't about to ruin a great moment in the team's history. He would never be forgiven if he did. Still, there was enough time for him to come up with a suitable lie and save his announcement for a later date.

"You might as well say whatever you want to," the boy wonder stated, his voice sounding like a mix between a taunt and encouragement. Maybe that was Beast Boy's mind making that up. It seemed like such an odd combination.

"You need not fear. Please tell us what is on your mind," Starfire encouraged using a phrase that had once confused her.

"I just want to say that I really hope you two can keep this going. You deserve to be happy," Beast Boy said as he felt the perfect opportunity slipping through his fingers. Maybe he couldn't believe that Robin would alright with the news and stay focused on his girlfriend. Maybe he had feared that he would ruin Starfire's bliss. Maybe both thoughts had been the reason. No matter what the motive for his backing down, there was only one thing Beast Boy could do: continue to congratulate his friends, bask in the joy of their success, and hope that the future would provide him another chance to reveal his secret.

"Someday," he told himself as a nod from his Raven told him he had done the right thing, "someday."


	8. Chapter 8

His mind beginning to drift into seas of uncertainly as Starfire summed up thanking her friends for all the support they had given over the years, Robin fought to keep his thinking on the moment at hand. And for what felt like only a few seconds, he managed to think solely on how things could get better. This was in fact the event that had the greatest impact on his life with perhaps exception to the murder of his parents. There would be no more nights of lying awake in bed, staring into the darkness that surrounded him, and wonder if his reputation would be the only shred of immortality he would ever taste. Never again would he feel hesitation hold him back in his battle against Slade, giving the criminal mastermind the opportunity to escape and continue their game of cat and mouse. No longer would his time be dominated by someone he hated. But despite the blissful revelations, fears soon dominated his thought process.

What if he couldn't meet his girlfriend's expectations? Even though the boy wonder had always though that it was within his power to be great at anything, romance was completely foreign to him. And to make matters worse, for years he had always kept a certain amount of emotional distance between himself and the rest of the team. At times he didn't even think of them as friends, just so he had another layer of protection. Now that his feelings had been expressed and he was undertaking a very serious relationship, that illusion was no longer an option. If it was merely a friendship, there wouldn't be so much pressure. Problems could be overlooked or taken care of with relative ease, even if a certain amount of cynicism remained. But just one argument, one broken promise, one lapse in judgment might ruin everything to such a degree that it would be nearly impossible for the two titans to work together. Not a very pleasant thought.

Then there was the issue of whether or not he would allow himself to spend as much time with the princess as would be required. There were so many problems that needed to be taken care of, unsolved mysteries that required answers. It had been his knack for picking up on the minute details that allowed him to bring numerous criminals to justice. The last thing he wanted was to break his promise of doing everything he could to make the city a shining example of what a society should be. But now he faced what was essentially a second promise that pulled him in the opposite direction. Either he was going to pursue happiness with Starfire or take a step back and return to spending countless hours sifting through clues to prevent Slade from unraveling what could be the world's first utopia.

There was the ever-present fear that his nemesis would somehow find out about the development within the titans' dynamics and use it to his advantage. If there was only one thing Robin could be sure of, it was that Slade played by his own set of rules. It didn't matter how long it took to execute, how many people were killed in the process, or how repulsive the idea was; the end always justified the means. And that truly frightened the boy wonder. All he could do was hope for some sort of miracle. Either Slade never found out, considered ideas but found them too impractical even by his standards, or died very soon. Barring the first two options, the titan commander prayed that he would soon be reading his rival's obituary.

Slowly getting to his feet so as not to bother anyone, the fearless leader gave his princess a quick reassuring smile and gestured that he needed to get some fresh air to clear his head. This was not the time to be thinking of all the problems that could be coming down the road. Somehow he needed to put the worries out of his mind and find the happiness he had been enjoying during his flight back to the tower. After all, if having a beautiful woman in his life that was madly in love with him and willing to work through his problems couldn't make his demeanor more pleasant, nothing would ever change him.

By the time he stepped out onto the roof, the boy wonder had already managed to make some progress. After some quick rational thinking, he realized there was very little chance Slade would be able to hold him hostage. Not only did he have multiple escape plans mapped out in the back of his mind, he had also made sure that he team developed defenses against every plausible attack since the day they had been infected with nanotechnology. Secondly, Starfire would certainly give him multiple opportunities to correct any wrongs he had committed against her. She had waited patiently for this day to come. Why would she be quick to give up on him? That didn't make sense at all. And finally, Robin could remember only a handful of instances where he failed to keep his promises. Even under some of the most difficult circumstances, he managed to come through and keep his word. Until he no longer considered his integrity important and started swearing oaths that he knew he couldn't keep, he would always be trustworthy.

With those revelations and several more slowly casting out his fears, it became much easier to believe that things had a good chance of working out just fine. But it would probably require the other titans to make a few sacrifices and pick up some of his slack. Maybe Cyborg would be willing to spend some of his time sorting through the piles of evidence, finding vital clues, and taking more of a leadership role. The titanium titan had proved that he was fully capable of taking on those responsibilities. Since Starfire now had the boy wonder to confide in, perhaps Raven would have plenty of time to get all her mediation out of the way and take a more active role. However, there was no way to be sure. The dark sorceress was still as mysterious as she had been when the team formed. And Beast Boy just might be willing to take his job a little more seriously and put some of the time he wasted loafing on the couch to better use. All those happenings could be a little too much to hope for, but it was still within the realm of possibility.

Beginning to get caught up in figuring out what responsibilities could be reallocated to which titan, the boy wonder didn't notice the changeling slowly walking up behind him.

"What are you doing up here? I thought you'd want to still be with Star," Beast Boy stated, his voice shattering the silence and his leader's concentration.

"She knows I'm here," Robin replied as he turned around.

"Oh…well I just thought that you would…"

"Did you show up just so you could lecture me? No offense Beast Boy, but what makes you think you're qualified to tell me how I should try to work things out with Kori?" the titan commander questioned, intent on hearing the shape shifter's explanation. As far as he was aware, the changeling hadn't even tried to find a new girlfriend since Terra had left him heartbroken. And even though he could see there were good intentions, the boy wonder was convinced he was getting advice from a confirmed bachelor that spent a majority of his free time watching movies, playing videogames, or trying to think as little as possible. Not exactly the ideal person to be offering pointers when it came to establishing a foundation for a strong relationship.

"Well…no, not exactly," Beast Boy mumbled as he scratched the back of his head, searching his brain for a better response.

"Out with it. I'm not really in the mood for games," Robin ordered as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"I though…I thought you were working on finding Slade," the changeling finally answered.

"Beast Boy, why would I be on the roof trying to figure out where Slade is? And even if I was, don't you think I would be looking through evidence instead of at the city?" the boy wonder inquired, sounding increasingly agitated with every passing second.

"Ok, geez. I'll leave you alone," the shape shifter said as he got ready to head back inside.

"Beast Boy, wait," the boy wonder ordered. "Look, I'm not angry with you. It's just that…I'm in charge of the team. And now that I'm going to be spending so much time with Kori instead, I won't be able to make sure I get everything done. That's all."

"You almost make it sound like the city would burn to the ground if you're not working all the time. Don't you think that sounds a little…I dunno…stupid?"

"Beast Boy…" the titan commander paused as he thought how he wanted to finish his sentence. "Go. Just go. I have a lot on my mind and you're getting on my nerves."

"Look, I'm sorry. But if you want me to go, fine," the shape shifter said putting his hands up in surrender as he walked backwards towards the door. "I just thought you were still making her second to finding Slade."

After Beast Boy disappeared back inside the tower, the boy wonder turned around to look at the city's coastline, placed his hands on the ledge shoulder width apart, and rested some of his weight on his palms as he thought about his teammate's comment. It really forced him to think where his priorities were and where they appeared to be. Was he still more concerned with the team, making sure everything ran smoothly at all times? Had he already placed his battle against Slade over making sure Starfire was happy? While Robin somewhat resented being told it looked like he was already ruining things between himself and his girlfriend, he also felt some amount of appreciation. It could just take a while for him to accept he was in Beast Boy's debt, even a little bit.

Meanwhile, the Tameranean princess was creating a scrapbook timeline that highlighted her relationship with the boy wonder from beginning to end. Not only would finishing the small project give her a visual account of how much she had done to change her boyfriend's mind, it could give her the additional encouragement she might need to go on times got rough. Every snapshot emphasized particular events that had brought her one step closer to the man of her dreams, whether they be minor altercations or celebrations. And despite the fact that all the photos were precious to her, only two were close to her heart. One was taken the night after Blackfire had been arrested and taken away to serve her sentence. Robin had stayed up all night with her, assuring her that nobody was going to think of her any differently just because her sister was a thief. The other was from the night the two had danced at prom. Until now, that was the best memory she had of the boy wonder.

As she glued down the final pictures and slowly looked through the pages, the alien princess began to feel a deep sense of pity for her best friend. It seemed as though Raven would never know how much comfort could be found in the arms of a beloved. And while Starfire didn't have to imagine what the black magic woman dealt with every day, she couldn't fathom how much strength it took to refuse natural desires day after day. How could anyone deal with carrying such heavy burden? Wasn't there something that could be done, anything at all to spare the dark sorceress a lonely existence?

Her pity turning to sorrow, the Tameranean mourned for her friend's loss. With the tears streaming down her face and her sobs getting louder and louder, she didn't notice that someone was knocking at her door. Not right away at least.

"You…you may enter," the princess choked.

"Kori, what's wrong?" the titan commander questioned, his voice filled with concern. Even though he had seen his girlfriend upset many times over the years, he had never seen her look so distraught. And all he could think was that he was to blame

"Richard," Starfire responded as she ran into his arms and held him tightly, "it is not fair."

"What's not fair?" Robin asked as he felt a small amount of relief. Maybe he wasn't at fault.

"Raven…Raven is my best friend…has been for many years," the princess stated between sobs. "It is not fair that someone who has been so kind cannot have the love I enjoy."

"I know," the boy wonder said he fought to ignore the pain in his ribs. "But she's accepted that. You should too."

"I fear that may be very difficult," the princess whispered as she ran out of tears to cry. And although she wanted to stay in her boyfriend's arms, the blessed comfort was not to last. For the first time in the last three days, the tower alarm called the titans to action. Within minutes, the team was assembled and waiting to see where the trouble was and who was causing it.

Looking around at his friends as Robin scanned the city for the source of the problem, Beast Boy could see how serious everyone was taking the mission. He, on the other hand, was full of excitement and anxious for a fight. Perhaps Slade had finally come back to taunt the boy wonder. Perhaps Jinx and her gang had broken out of prison and were back to their routine. It didn't really matter too much to the changeling. As long as it was somewhat of a challenge, he would get to show his boss that putting him back on the team was his second best decision of the week.

However, he felt his excitement quickly turn to disappointment when Dr. Light's face appeared on the tower's computer monitor. Not only had he hoped against hope that the criminal had gotten himself killed when he attempted one of the most dangerous escapes possible, but the suit that was being used was an early model. There was no sign of the advanced teleportation technology and the firepower being displayed appeared to be terribly inefficient. Almost everything that had raised Light's threat level was gone. But Beast Boy only noticed the downgrades after Cyborg pointed it out to the team.

"Alright, I got the coordinates downloaded. Let's get moving," the boy wonder ordered as he motioned towards the garage.

"Garfield, wait," Raven whispered as she grabbed her changeling's shoulder and prevented him from charging off with the rest of the team.

"What? You don't think I'm ready to go out on mission yet?" Beast Boy questioned raising an eyebrow feeling a little hurt as he looked over his shoulder to where he knew the others would be waiting. If there was anything that would get Robin to think about putting him on revoking his position on the team for a little while longer, it was taking his time and delaying the rest of the team.

"No, I'm concerned you might feel like this is an opportunity to get revenge, show off, or both," the half-demon answered as she looked into her boyfriend's forest green eyes. "Promise me that no matter what happens, you won't take this mission personally."

"I…I promise," the shape shifter vowed as he nodded, made an 'x' over his heart, and gave a lopsided grin.

"You have three seconds to get in the car," the fearless leader shouted as Cyborg revved the engine.

"After you," the changeling said as he bowed and took a step to the side to allow Raven to walk on ahead of him before quickly following behind.

"About damn time," Robin growled from the front passenger seat as the two titans got in the car and shut the door.

"Calm down, Richard," the half-demon stated in her typical no-nonsense tone.

"If Light ends up getting away because Beast Boy…"

"It wasn't his fault you waited half a minute, it was mine. So if you're going to blame someone, at least make sure it's the right person."

"Oh…ok…just don't do it again" the titan commander stammered after which he made a gesture with his hands to signify he was done talking and the subject was not to be brought up anymore.

Biting his bottom lip to the point he almost started to draw blood, Beast Boy struggled to stifle his laughter. While he had always derived a certain amount of pleasure from seeing the boy wonder humiliate himself, something made it funnier this time. Maybe it was because Robin had been embarrassed in front of his girlfriend. Perhaps it had something to do with how dark sorceress had corrected him. Or it was possibly the demon inside him that made it feel all the more amusing. No matter what the reason was, the shape shifter somehow managed to hold his tongue and stifle his laughter. If nothing else, he didn't want to say or do something that would upset Starfire as well. No matter who the titans were to face, it was important that they put differences aside and keep as unified front as possible.

As Cyborg sped down the streets and the miles passed by, the changeling spent most of the time thinking about the promise he had made. There was very little glory in holding himself back. And even though he often teased Robin about wanting to have all the credit, Beast Boy craved it just as much. There were few things more exciting than hearing crowns cheering and praising their hero.

Clenching his fists to the point his arms started to tremor, the shape shifter tried to think more about what he would lose from showing off. First, whenever he let himself get carried away, he put the rest of the team in unnecessary danger. Secondly, there was the very real possibility he would lose control. Even with Raven's teachings and the blood he had been commandeering from the infirmary, the changeling felt a part of him longing to sink his fangs into someone's flesh. Third, he didn't want his friends to think that he had seriously lost all concepts of intelligence and decency. To have Light's blood streaming from his lips and dripping from his chin, it was almost guaranteed he would be going to an asylum before heading to prison for murder. But most importantly, he would betray his dark sorceress. He could deal with the rest of the titans shunning him. Even spending time behind bars didn't frighten him as much as it should have. It was the idea of disappointing the woman that had made his life worth living that solidified his resolve to keep his word.

"You're sure his can't teleport himself away again?" Robin asked as Cyborg parked his car.

"Pretty sure, but it's hard to say," the titanium titan answered as the team got out and prepared to take the elusive mad man down. "Besides that, he probably needs the money. Unless something changed, he won't be able take it with him."

Directing the team with a couple of hand signals, the boy wonder made sure that the moment their enemy exited the bank, he was going to wish he had stayed away and found a more suitable job. And just as everyone was in position, the wannabe appeared in the doorway with a couple of duffle bags stuffed with cash hanging over his shoulders. Without uttering a word, the titans converged on their foe, hoping to end the fight before it even got started. Robin threw several of his discuses: one similar to a flash bang to blind, a proximity explosive so the shockwave would knock the target over, and the final to drain the power out of Light's battle suit. Cyborg fired his cannon, aiming for the chest. Starfire heaved a volley of bolts at her foe. Beast Boy transformed into a bull, lowered his head, and scraped his front hoof on the ground as he prepared to charge. And Raven readied herself to use a nearby parking meter to bind the felon.

Just as the dust settled on the ground but before the changeling took his turn and charged, the titans found the foe still standing tall. Not only that, he was almost completely unscathed by the onslaught. Still, the criminally insane scientist didn't teleport himself out of harm's way or bother to run and for the titans to give chase. Instead, he dropped his ill-gotten goods and nonchalantly began to press a series of buttons on his sleeve.

"You will learn to respect the power of the light!" the villainous nuisance proclaimed as his chest started to swell with pride. While his suit had protected him well enough so he could simply pick up his loot and leaving, it quickly became apparent he had no intention of running away. He was going to prove to the word that he should be taken seriously and perhaps even feared. Everyone would know that it had been his advanced technology that had annihilated the titans.

"Oh shit…scatter!" Robin shouted as a hail of shots headed in every direction.

While Cyborg had been right about the suit not having the additional technology to teleport, he had severely underestimated its firepower. Holes were punched through cars, storefront windows cracked and shattered after coming in contact with the focused energy, and anything else that happened to be in the way was damaged. The only thing that was able to withstand the barrage was Raven's black magic. But even that appeared to be being pushed to the breaking point. If nothing changed in the few minutes, the titans could end up being defeated by a villain they had written off as a joke.

"Yeah, he's really not going to be a problem, huh?" Beast Boy rhetorically questioned, directing the comment towards Cyborg.

"Ok, I was wrong. Didn't see you think he was going to be a big deal," the titanium titan shot back.

"Quiet you two. I have another plan," the boy wonder cut in before a little friendly banter turned into something much more serious.

"What?" the changeling asked as he thought how embarrassing it would be to be defeated by Light, assuming the team actually lived long enough to feel humiliation.

"I'm sure whatever shield he was using isn't working right now. I can't see his suit having enough power to keep both his offense and defense up at the same time."

"Just tell me what you have in mind already…" the shape shifter demanded as the car he was hiding behind was being turned into scrap metal.

"Once I blind him with the flash bang, you take him down. You should have enough time if you're fast enough. And Raven, I want you to shield him for as long as you can," Robin ordered.

Morphing into a cheetah and crouching low to the ground, the shape shifter stared at Robin as he patiently waited for the countdown. Five, he felt his heart race as he thought about how much was riding on his shoulders. Four, he found himself started to fantasize lunging for the throat and tasting blood. Three, he forced the thoughts out of his mind by remembering what he had promised Raven. Two, he prayed that his dark sorceress would have enough strength to protect him in case the plan failed and he needed to make a hasty retreat. One, he hoped some of the ghosts of his past would be finally be put to rest once he tackled the lunatic. Zero, he charged out from behind his hiding spot as Robin threw the flash bomb and his girlfriend encased him in black magic.

Running at an unbelievable speed as Light tried to recover from his temporary blindness, Beast Boy morphed into a bear at the last second and forced his enemy to the ground with a thunderous slam.

"I give…" the neutralized villain gasped as he struggled to breath. "I give up…can't breathe…"

"Beast Boy," the titan commander shouted as he placed a hand on the back of the changeling's neck, "it's over. Move before you end up killing him."

Moving carefully, the shape shifter narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth as he watched his prey for any sudden movements. There was no way total victory was going to be stripped away, not a second time. He was going to make sure that that criminal genius faced judgment and the demon that had continued to haunt him over the past year and a half was finally put to death. And even though he was sure all of his friends could empathize with that, only Raven understood that he had won a fight on two fronts. After so much theorizing and training, he had proven he could control his sinister urges for revenge in some of the most trying moments. It was a fact that made his chest swell with pride.

"Dude, that was way harder than I thought it would be," Beast Boy commented taking a seat on the sidewalk and cracking his back as Light was carted away in the back of a police cruiser.

"Friend, you are hurt," Starfire gasped as she pointed at her friend's shoulder.

"Huh?" the changeling grunted as he looked at where the Tameranean was pointing. "Oh, wow, that looks really bad but at least it doesn't hurt."

"Beast Boy, I think you're going to need to get a trained specialist to take care of that," Robin stated after he took a closer look.

"It probably just looks worse than it is. Like I said, it doesn't hurt," the changeling repeated.

"B, you're not feeling any pain because your nerves are damaged. Get in the car; the sooner we leave, the better off you'll be," Cyborg informed, siding with the boy wonder.

"Vic, don't you think that you could…uh…take care of it?" the shape shifter mumbled through his teeth, trying to make sure he showed his fangs. He prayed that his friend would remember a special little detail that he had shared a couple hours before Robin and Starfire got back from their date.

"Nope, you really do need to see a specialist for this," the titanium titan answered shaking his head. Having not asked a whole lot of questions about his little brother's secret, it never even occurred to him that there was nothing to worry about. And with that, the subtle clue he was given went completely unnoticed, at least for the moment.

"Please, friend. We are only wishing to help you," the alien princess stated in a very concerned tone.

"I'll make sure he gets the necessary attention," Raven offered, choosing her words carefully and allowing her boyfriend to keep his secret safe a little while longer if he so chose. "You won't have to worry."

"Well, we've already waited longer then we should have…and it would be a lot faster," the team captain mumbled to himself. "Alright, take him," he said agreed with the idea as he motioned that he and the other two titans were going to head home.

On the way back to the tower, Robin began to wonder why Beast Boy had seemed to be so fervently against going to a hospital. Sure, Cyborg had pulled off multiple medical miracles that included saving his friend's life; but that didn't mean that every surgical operation could or should be done in-house. Every doctor specialized in a specific field of medicine. That went without saying. There had to be a reason, an explanation for the stubborn behavior. Did the changeling really think that his best friend could perform any operation, regardless of what was said to the contrary? Was he willing to take an outrageous risk with his health because he feared physicians that weren't also his friends? Or had he perhaps convinced himself that because Slade had almost murdered him once, the criminal mastermind had put a bounty on his head?

Although every solution he came up with to resolve his questions seemed to resonate with some element of truth, Robin felt they all short. There was something his ally was keeping hidden from the rest of the team, or at the very least him. And even though he knew he should simply respect the changeling decision, the boy wonder became annoyed with himself for not coming to a reasonable conclusion. He was supposed to be one of the greatest detectives that had ever lived, able to solve mysteries that seemed to have no resolution. Perhaps he could ask Raven for input since she had come to know the changeling fairly well over the recent months. Maybe there was an action or phrase that held the clue and he just needed to replay the last discussion in his head a couple times for the facts to make themselves more apparent. Or there was always the honorable way of getting the confusion resolved; ask nicely and hope for an honest answer.

Being eternally more inclined to follow his pride rather than either logic or reason, the ranking titan refused to let the mystery go. If there was even the smallest clue in the last conversation that would explain the shape shifter's odd behavior, he was going to find it. But aside from a heightened sense of aggression, everything else appeared to be normal. There was a little joking around, some bantering when the initial assault had failed, and a zeal that could only be explained by a desire for vengeance. All of which were typical responses from someone that had felt ashamed and locked into a strict routine for three months. It wasn't until he recalled that Beast Boy had appeared to make it a point to show his teeth to Cyborg that he felt some sense of success. Maybe there really wasn't anything to it, just a strange habit that had picked up from a terrible movie with unknown actors. Or maybe, just maybe it implied that Cyborg actually knew something, even though he appeared to have no idea what he was supposed to understand.

With a small sense of self-satisfaction for his minor progress, the boy wonder leaned back in his seat and watched the last few miles back to the tower fly by. It was only a matter of time before he got to test his theory. And if it proved to be true, the oddity that surrounded the changeling would unravel itself.

"Either of you guys wanna stop and grab some dinner before we get back to home? Maybe get some Chinese takeout?" Cyborg asked as he listened to his stomach growling.

"Although I do feel concerned for our friend, I must admit that I indeed feel hungry," the Tameranean princess answered with a slight nod.

"Is that alright with you, Rich? Or do you want something else?"

"Nah, that sounds alright," Robin said breaking his extensive silence as his mind worked on a way to find out what the titanium titan knew without coming off as meddlesome, invasive, or distrusting.

Sitting quietly in the backseat as Cyborg ordered their dinner, Starfire watched as her boyfriend seemed to become more and more preoccupied with whatever was going on in his head. And although she wished to honor his privacy, there was a part of her that felt she was entitled to knowing what he was thinking. After all, if he was her boyfriend, he needed to be able to talk his problems through with her. The only thing that could come from keeping everything to himself was eroded trust. Without trust there was little hope she could ever love the real Richard. And if she could never possess the man behind the mask, there was nothing to be had. It wasn't a brave warrior she wanted; it was someone that would hold and console her when the weight of the world became too much to bear.

"Richard, what is troubling you?" the princess asked as they arrived home, set their food orders on the table, and sat down for dinner.

"I was just…thinking is all," the boy wonder said as he tried to hide his sense of shame. Once again he had slipped into his bad habit of keeping everything to himself. Then again, it wasn't exactly a topic he wanted to talk about with the rest of the team.

"I fear that you are not being truthful. Should you not allow me to aid you with your plights?"

"Yeah, you're right," Robin sighed toying with his food while he thought about the predicament he had put himself in. "I guess I'm just used to figuring everything out by myself."

"So tell the girl already," Cyborg insisted after a lengthy pause before he began to eat.

"I was wondering…I was wondering why Beast Boy didn't want to take care of himself. He wanted to stay on the team so badly. Then all of the sudden, it's like he didn't care."

"I do not understand. You should not feel ashamed for caring for our friends," Starfire voiced with confusion.

"After I thought about it a little…I'm wondering, do you know something about Beast Boy that I don't, Cyborg?" the boy wonder asked, feeling a little more comfortable about his actions. Maybe he had just been concerned.

"Why would I know anything about him that he wouldn't..." the titanium titan stopped midsentence as it finally dawned on him what the changeling had been hinting at. But then, why hadn't he been more blatant when his subtle plea went unnoticed? Was he worried about Robin would say? What Starfire would think of him? Surely he had to know that sooner or later they would find out whether he wanted them to or not.

"You do know something. What is it?" the fearless leader inquired, proud his instincts had been proven correct.

"I really can't talk about it," Cyborg replied as he felt the conversation turning into an interrogation. Unless he managed to come up with a more satisfying response, it was probably going to become impossible to keep what his little brother told him confidential. But maybe luck would be on his side. If the alien princess thought the answer was enough, maybe she would convince her boyfriend drop the subject and move on to other matters. After all, there were hundreds of other topics they could discuss. Why not ponder how Light had managed to secure funds for a new suit without raising any red flags? Or why Slade seemed to have lost all interest in conquering the city and annihilating the titans? Surely Beast Boy's odd behavior wasn't the most pressing issue.

"Why won't you say? If it affects the team, you should let us know."

"BB asked me to not tell anyone," the titanium titan said he grabbed a second eggroll.

"Can you give me a hint?" the titan commander questioned, hoping that he could keep his good fortune going.

"Perhaps we should ask Beast Boy when he returns. We should not continue to ask our friend to break his promise," Starfire suggested, wishing to respect the wishes of her friends.

"I guess…" Robin muttered as he felt the chance for answers slipping away. "Guess I'll hit the gym before going to bed. I'll take care of the dishes in the morning. Goodnight."

"See ya tomorrow," the mechanical hybrid responded as he sat back in his chair and breathed a sigh of relief. If it wasn't for the princess, there was no way the discussion could have ended so well.

"Have pleasant dreams, Love," the Tameranean stated as she hugged her boyfriend goodnight.

"It's a good thing you finally got through to Rich, Star," Cyborg commented after the boy wonder had walked out of the room.

"I do not understand. I merely asked him to respect the wishes of you and Beast Boy," the alien princess replied with confusion in her voice.

"I mean he's not being as stubborn. If this had happened yesterday, before he went out with you…You finally got through to him, Star."

"You are a very good friend. I pray that you will soon feel the joy I do when I am with Richard," Starfire beamed before politely excusing herself. After having woken up especially early, dealing with the excitement of going out on her first real date with Robin, working though a few issues in her boyfriend, grieving for what she believed to be Raven's bad fortune, combating a formidable Dr. Light, and giving the boy wonder two invaluable pieces of advice, she was ready for a restful night sleep.

"We'll see," the titanium titan whispered to himself. After finishing off his plate, he cleared the table and headed to the garage to work some of the dents out of his car before going to bed as well.

Waking up early, just as the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon and usher in a new day, Robin began making a mental list of things he would like to get done before nightfall. But even so, there were only three that really mattered to him. The top priority was to make sure that he did enough to show Starfire he wanted her to be a part of his life. That was followed very closely by figuring out what was going on with the changeling, even though both his girlfriend and Cyborg had asked him to just let Beast Boy explain his action in due time. There was a chance he would figure it out without anyone's help. He had done it on many occasions, having discovered what Slade was planning before the attack was launched. Plus, it really bothered him to leave a mystery unsolved. And finally, he wanted to find out how long it would take for his green skinned ally to recover. Even though the team had run a man short for a few months, the fight with Light had been much easier with his assistance. All he would need to do to get that done was ask Raven where she had left the changeling and call the hospital for the information.

Determined to make sure that he made good use of the morning before things had a chance to get out of hand, the boy wonder quickly took a shower and headed downstairs. There was a lot to take care of and very little time in which to do it. But first things first, he needed to have a decent breakfast. He was almost never in a good mood if he didn't start the day off with the most important meal of the day.

"You're up early," the titan commander heard from the sofa as he headed through the meeting hall into the kitchen to find something to eat.

"So are you," the titan commander answered looking in the refrigerator before standing up in surprise and turning to look at whoever was speaking to him. "Beast Boy?"

"The one and only," the shape shifter remarked leaning over the back of the sofa, his grin showing just how much he was enjoying his leader's shock.

"What…? Why are…? Shouldn't you…?" Robin stammered as he struggled to get over the initial surprise. There was no way the changeling should be back from the hospital. The only explanation that made any sense was that he had never gone at all. That wasn't only reckless; it could end up resulting in amputation. And even though the boy wonder believed that any odds could be overcome by steadfast determination, disappointment and rage began to burn at his core. A day that had offered so much promise was threatened by a horrifically terrible decision. It took all his resolve to not lash out and start an argument.

"If you finish the question, I can try to answer it," Beast Boy commented as though there was nothing out of the ordinary, only making the situation even peculiar.

"Either I'm dreaming and you're not really here or you didn't take your injury as seriously as everyone else did," the fearless stated as he strained to keep calm. "And I'm pretty sure I'm awake."

"Yeah, you're awake. Either that or I'm having the same dream…which would be really weird."

"So why aren't you still at a hospital? We're you even at one?" the boy wonder questioned, his rage starting to break through.

"Dude, relax. Look," the shape shifter responded as he pointed to layers of gauze on his shoulder.

"This doesn't make sense. They shouldn't have released him already," Robin muttered under his breath while he started drawing a common thread through all of Beast Boy's recent odd behavior. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to shed some light on the issue. So long as the questions were worded properly and shied away from being overly invasive, why not take a chance? What was the worst that could happen? Aggravate changeling and be told that it was absolutely none of his business? That he was making things up to occupy his time because Slade hadn't returned from his mysterious disappearance? Surely it was worth a seemingly minor risk to accomplish one of his three priorities before the day really got started. With all that in mind, the boy wonder took a few moments to phrase his question carefully and not threaten his ally's good mood.

"Well, while you stand there," the shape shifter said getting up, "I'm having another milkshake. Want one?"

"Beast Boy…I gotta ask you something. And I don't want you to take it the wrong way," the titan commander warned.

"Shoot," the changeling casually replied as he continued to scavenge the freezer for ice-cream. He didn't need to be a genius to know what was coming. In fact, the only thing on Beast Boy's mind aside from having dessert for breakfast was figuring out a way to postpone answering questions until the rest of the team showed up, particularly the alien princess. Not only would it guarantee that he would have some support from both Raven and Cyborg, it also assured him that Robin wouldn't respond poorly to the news unless he was willing to act like a jerk in front Starfire. One of the few things that the shape shifter hadn't accounted for was the possibility of Tameranean legends with creatures similar to vampires, which could prove to be costly.

"Does your being back already have anything to do with what you told Cyborg?" the boy wonder asked pointblank.

"How would you know what I tell Vic? I asked him not to say anything," Beast Boy responded as he straightened his back and stared at the fearless leader. Even though the point of the question was what he had anticipated, the way it had been phased was not. It made wonder whether or not one of his best friends had broken his promise, whether it be accidental or on purpose. And no matter how much he wanted to resist believing it, he still allowed for the possibility even if it was very remote. Maybe he was just being overly paranoid because he hadn't been around to know exactly what had been said about him. Or perhaps because Terra had betrayed him, he dreaded having to go through the suffering again. Either way didn't really matter. The only way the fear could be put to rest was Robin admitting he was playing detective again or Cyborg showed up and explained everything.

"I don't know what you told him, just that you did tell him something," the boy wonder explained, hoping that he hadn't started hostilities. There were more than enough differences between the two titans that caused problems. It wasn't a good idea to add another issue on the pile.

"Uh-huh…and you think that because I tell him something you automatically have to know too?" the changeling asked arching an eyebrow, comforted by the fact that his friend had indeed kept his word.

"No, that's not what I meant at all," Robin said finding himself on the defensive side. He was supposed to be getting an explanation for the strange behavior, not trying to justify his actions.

"Dude, relax. I'm just joking around," the shape shifter assured as he started rummaging around in the refrigerator for something to eat. "It's not like I'm not used to you poking around. I mean it still pisses me off but whatever. What're you trying to ask me?"

"How can you possibly be treated and released overnight for sort of injury you had? You shouldn't be here. You should be at a hospital getting taken care of unless you stopped caring what happens to you. But that doesn't make any sense to me because you went on for weeks about how you wanted to go back out on missions."

"Good genes?"

"Beast Boy, I have seen you get hurt a lot over the years. And there is no way in hell that you can be fully healed because of your genes. So cut the crap and tell me what's really going on here," the titan commander retorted.

"Can I tell you when everyone else gets up?" the shape shifter asked as he found something that appealed to his appetite. "That sounds fair, doesn't it?"

"Well…"

"Good, I'll see you later," Beast Boy quickly interrupted before getting an answer. He didn't really care whether or not the idea sounded fair to his boss. It was his life, his choice, his announcement, and he could decide when and where he let his friends know the truth about him. Perhaps if Starfire hadn't finally gotten Robin to go out on a date with her, the secret would be out and none of what he was going through would have happened. But as there was no way to go back, and not that he would want to anyways, the changeling saw no reason to go back on his initial decision to hold out until all of his friends were all together.

Almost completely ignoring anything else that the boy wonder was saying to him, the shape shifter took a couple more snacks out of the fridge and headed upstairs to his bedroom. Not only was it one of the few locations in the tower that he could guarantee himself protection from more questions, it was also one of his favorite places to waste time. He could kick back and get reacquainted with his music collection, try to figure out exactly how he was able to become a dragon in Raven's mind so he could possibly repeat he performance in a mission setting, or lie in bed and do absolutely nothing for the next couple hours. And if those choices failed to catch his fancy, there was always the option of going outside for a quick swim.

Eventually determining that it would be in his best interested to stay awake and think about what he had promised to do, the changeling took a quick shower before sitting on the edge of his bed and contemplating what he was going to say. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he was going to share his dark secret in a more eloquent fashion this time around. He wanted to be sure that his words could instill some of the excitement he felt when he finally gained control over the demon in his soul. And if that didn't work, maybe he could list all the benefits that came with being a vampire: he would never be sick again, all the injuries he sustained in battles would heal overnight no matter how life-threatening they appeared to be, his speed was unmatched while his strength might actually rival Starfire's, and his shape shifting had been enhanced to include mythical beasts. That would surely overshadow any drawbacks that Robin could think of, right?

Shaking his head as he recounted numerous occasions the boy wonder had pointed out mistakes in the midst of success, Beast Boy wished he had never thought to share his secret with Cyborg. If he had kept his mouth shut, he never would have acted suspiciously while trying to relay a subtle message to his friend. Without that odd behavior, Robin may have never known that something very unusual had happened to his team. And he wouldn't be feeling trapped in a no-win situation.

On the other hand, if he had kept everything between himself and Raven, what would be doing instead? There was no way he could check into a hospital and hang around there for a while; the only sign that he had ever been injured was a slightly lighter green skin tone. He couldn't pay the fees to stay at a hotel for weeks since he never carried a wallet in his suit. And hiding around town as various street animals didn't sound like that great of an idea either, especially when he considered the fact that the only way he could get blood to satisfy his appetite was to go against everything Raven had taught him about self-control.

Slowly lifting his gaze from a spot on the floor, the changing saw Raven standing quietly in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. Why hadn't he noticed her enter his room? Had he ignored whatever she had said to get his attention? Even though he didn't want to think that he could be so absorbed in himself to ignore the most important woman in his life, the shape shifter had to concede that it was well within the realm of possibility. But once he detected a warm smile on her face, the comfort washed over his soul and assured him that she wasn't upset with him.

"H-how long were you just standing there?" Beast Boy asked as he patted his bed, asking the dark sorceress to sit beside him.

"Not long," the half-demon responded as she accepted her boyfriend's offer.

"Were…did you try to say something? I didn't ignore you, did i?"

"No, you didn't," Raven reassured. "I prefer you asking for help."

"So you just showed up and stood there? Why?"

"Garfield, I can sense what your feeling, more so now than ever before. I know it's still unusual for me to allow my curiosity to control my decisions, but I had to know you were alright," the dark sorceress answered as she rested a hand on the shape shifter's leg. "Are you?"

"I will be," the changeling responded, smiling as he gently rested one of his hands on hers. "I'm just…I'm worried what Robin's going to say when I tell him…"

"Then don't. If you think he's going to shun you, wait until you're more comfortable. Or don't tell him at all. It's none of his concern," Raven answered matter-of-factly.

"Yeah…I can't exactly do that," the shape shifter stated, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Explain."

"I talked to Dick earlier and…well I kinda promised him that I'd tell him why I was already back when everyone showed up for breakfast...guess it'll be lunch now," Beast Boy informed as he glanced over at his clock.

"Well, as I see it, you have two choices. You can either say you don't feel comfortable at the moment and back out or you go through with your promise."

"What do you think I should do?"

"Do what you will least regret," the half-demon ambiguously answered.

"Right," the changeling mumbled under his breath as he bowed his head. It had not been the answer he had been hoping for. Yet at the same time, he should have known better then to think she would have made the decision for him. At no point in the team's history had the dark sorceress ever told her any of her friends what she would do in their predicament. Why would that have suddenly changed? It surely wouldn't be because they were in a deep, more meaningful relationship. If anything, this was another chance for him to show what he would do in difficult situations. So would he try to keep his word no matter how much it pained him? Or would he instead search for an excuse, perhaps pretend that he had never promised anything and didn't know what Robin was talking about?

Minutes passing by like seconds as he considered his options, the changeling felt the half-demon squeeze his thigh and his chaotic thoughts suddenly become much clearer. And with the enlightenment came revelations that caused him to realize how much time he had wasted panicking. He was never going to have to face Robin and Starfire alone. Raven would be there standing right behind him: calming his nerves, boosting his confidence, and ready to defend him from anything their friends could say. There was only one question left in his mind; what had he been so worried about again?

"Raven," the shape shifter stated as he rubbed the back of her hand, "would you…would you come with me when I tell Robin and Star? You know, for support and…?"

"Shhh," the dark sorceress hushed, cutting her boyfriend off as she placed a finger on his lips, "you know I will."

"Great," Beast Boy said breathing a sigh of relief, feeling protected from anger and despair. "I want to get this over with."

Meanwhile, Robin was sitting at the kitchen table reading a newspaper while Starfire busied herself making him lunch, even though had insisted it wasn't necessary. As he waited to try whatever was going to be served and his eyes scanned the tabloids for anything meaningful, the boy wonder kept wondering if he had really seen Beast Boy that morning. Maybe the combination of wondering why the changeling was acting strange, feeling like he was partially responsible since it had been his failure that nearly killed his ally, getting less sleep then he was used to, and the normal pressures of being in charge of the team was causing his mind to play tricks on him. It didn't happen often, but he would be lying if he said it never happened to him.

"Richard, please eat," the Tameranean's sweet voice distracted him from his uncertainty for the moment as she placed a plate and utensils in front him.

"Uh…Star…what do you call this exactly?" the titan commander questioned as he poked the strange looking meal in front of him with a fork. It looked like it was somewhere between a salad and pudding. And if his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, it might actually be alive.

"I believe the term is 'leftovers'," Starfire answered as she pressed a finger to her chin in a thoughtful manner.

"Oh, I see," Robin responded, trying not to look worried about getting food poisoning or vomiting in case he tried his girlfriend's cooking. Judging by appearances, he assumed that anything in the refrigerator could have been in the mix: last night's dinner, extra links of sausage that Cyborg hadn't finished off, numerous condiments, and Beast Boy's ever-present tofu just to name a few.

"You are willing to try, yes?"

"I…I'll try it, but I can't promise I'll like it," the boy wonder warned before sampling the dish. And much to his surprise, it wasn't half bad. It wasn't going to win any sort of award and would probably never be served to the rest of the team, but he wouldn't mind if Starfire made it again. However, that was only as long as he didn't know what was in it. He had a strange feeling that once he knew what was in the concoction, he'd regret it.

"Do you like it?" the alien princess asked as she watched her boyfriend take his time with the first bite.

"I don't think I'd mind you making this again," Robin responded as he took a second, larger bite as he heard the door open behind him. And as he instinctively turned around to see who it was, he discovered that what he had started to think was a hallucination was very real.

"Beast Boy!" the Tameranean exclaimed as she rushed over to hug her friend. "I did not believe you would return so quickly. The physicians on this planet are very skilled?" she asked as she held the changeling by the shoulders at arm's length before hugging him tightly once more.

"You're…crushing….me…" the shape shifter gasped before the princess finally let go.

"I apologize. I am very pleased that you are well."

"Me too," Beast Boy responded, thinking a lighthearted joke would set a good tone for the coming conversation.

"You're running late today," the boy wonder stated getting to his feet and turning to face the green skinned titan and Raven who was just walking in a second behind.

"Yeah, well, meh," the changeling shrugged, unsure how he was supposed to respond.

"But," Robin continued, "since me, Star, and Raven are her, I think you said you were going to tell me something when everyone's here."

"What are you speaking of, Richard?" the Tameranean princess questioned.

"Remember when I said that Beast Boy was acting strange? Well turns out I was right," the titan commander answered. "So…Beast Boy?"

"Ok," the shape shifter nodded, taking a deep breath as Raven moved to stand as referee between her boyfriend and Robin just in case the situation deteriorated. It also guaranteed that the boy wonder wouldn't be able to read into where she was standing. The team would know about her bond with Beast Boy when she wanted them to and not before then.

"Please, speak," Starfire encouraged as Beast Boy silently mouthed an impromptu speech.

"I really wanted to say this really nicely, so you guys wouldn't freak out. But I…I just don't know how to say it in a nice way," the changeling stated gathering his composure.

"Beast Boy, I really don't want to hear a speech," Robin informed in a cross tone.

"Ok, ok. I'm…I kinda got cursed and…well…I'm…I'm a vampire," the shape shifter announced, stammering even though his dark sorceress was there to maintain order.

"Seriously, cut the crap. I don't want to hear a stupid excuse. I want the truth. Tell me what you told Cyborg."

"I told Vic the same thing," the changeling countered, neither angry nor upset but still somewhat disappointed that he couldn't be taken at his word.

"Beast Boy, I don't know if you realize this or not, but vampires aren't real. They never have been. People make it up to scare the masses into doing what they wanted. It's the same idea as the boogeyman, monsters hiding under the bed, and god."

"Demons exist," Raven countered, intervening on her boyfriend's behalf.

"That's different," Robin retorted.

"No, it is not," Starfire responded.

"You…you believe me, Star?" the changeling questioned, feeling a little hope. If she was willing to have faith in him, it would only be a matter of time before the boy wonder followed suit. Either that or it would cause unnecessary problems in their up and starting romance.

"I would not be a good friend if I was unwilling to offer you the 'benefit of the doubt'," the Tameranean princess optimistically responded. And despite having seen several horror movies that portrayed vampires as ruthless beasts, she could not imagine Beast Boy acting the same way. Every time he had made a comment that offended her, got into mischief that inadvertently made her the victim, or did anything else that grieved her, he always felt sorry and apologized immediately. If he proved to be that same trustworthy friend, then what did it matter? She would judge him by his behavior, not what she had seen in films.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Robin remained cynical and refused to take the shape shifter's statement at face value. Even after seeing thousands of paranormal events and experiencing countless other oddities that could only be explained by accepting the supernatural, he still demanded proof. The only reason he was willing to believe aliens existed was because one was standing right next to him, disagreeing with him. And it was Raven's telekinetic abilities that lent credence to the idea that sorcery wasn't merely the middle age's explanation for inexplicable scientific advances. But everything Beast Boy was relatively ambiguous. Who was to say that the anesthetics Cyborg had used hadn't affected his little brother's unstable genetics? An accident had given the changeling his abilities, why couldn't another enhance them?

That was an idea the titan commander could find himself getting behind. In fact that was what he had been hoping to hear. To have some wild, fanciful excuse that came straight off the silver screen shoved in his face, it was neither reasonable nor satisfactory.

"Dick, come on. At least ask something instead of just looking at me like I'm bullshitting you," Beast Boy offered.

"I'm not playing your game. And I want you to tell everyone you're sorry for pulling this stupid joke because it is not funny," the boy wonder replied, completely uninterested in even considering the possibility the truth was staring him in the face. "Then, you tell me what's really going on."

"You know what? You're right. I'm sorry…"

"Good," Robin nodded as Starfire started to feel the faith in her friend had been exploited.

"I'm sorry you can't trust me," the shape shifter continued. "After everything that's happened to me, I would have thought you would just get pissed off at me for not telling you right away. But you can't even do that, can you?"

"Beast Boy…"

"I didn't ask you figure out how it happened. I just hoped that you'd give it a chance, like Star did," the changeling finished, the statement reassuring the Tameranean that her trust wasn't being toyed with.

"Richard, you've prided yourself on being able to tell when people are lying and how you always have evidence to support your claims," Raven stated, intervening before hostilities could escalate. "Think about everything that's happened, all your suspicions, and come to a conclusion. Take your time."

"Fine," the boy wonder started to say as Cyborg walked from the garage. "Where have you been, Cyborg?"

"I was getting lunch at that little bistro in town. I like the special," the titanium titan answered. "Why? What's going on?"

"Did Beast Boy really tell you he was a vampire?" Robin questioned, jumping right back into the matter at hand.

"Uh…yeah…he did," the mechanical hybrid answered after his little brother gave him the ok to talk about it.

"And you, being logical, believed him?"

"To be honest, I didn't ask him a lot of questions. But from a medical standpoint, I think it explains a lot. I mean besides him standing here."

"What are you talking about?" the titan commander inquired.

"I mean he should be dead. I gave him a five percent chance he'd pull through after I did everything I could. And look at him now. I don't think he's been healthier. If there's another explanation, I don't know what it is."

"What about the anesthetics, the drug you used during his surgery? Couldn't that do something to him?"

"You're not serious are you? There is no way anything I used would affect him on genetic level."

"I just want to consider all my options instead of just agreeing with something so absurd," Robin stated defensively before going back into deep thought. With the medical anomaly rule out and everyone else going along with what the changeling was saying, the pressure to accept the vampire explanation was becoming very difficult to resist.

"Dick, I…" Beast Boy started speaking.

"Don't," Raven hushed. "This isn't easy for him. Let him think in peace."

"I…I hate it when I'm wrong," the boy wonder muttered to himself, showing the rest of the group he was sitting on the fence.

"I'll see you guys later," the titanium titan mouthed as he pointed over his shoulder towards his workshop. If he was needed, that's where he was going to be for a little while. There certainly wasn't anything he could do to help along the situation at hand. He might as well make use of some free time and continue working on yet another one of his many projects. And with an amazing combination of stealth and speed, he left his friends to wait for the titan commander to make his decision, a process that could sometimes take up to a couple hours on the simplest ideas.

"Alright," Robin finally spoke fifteen minutes after Cyborg closed the door to his workshop, "I can't see a reason I shouldn't believe what Beast Boy's saying."

"Meaning what?" the changeling questioned.

"Meaning until I see some evidence to the contrary, I'll go along with you vampire theory," the boy wonder said before turning around and walking to his room where he could think more carefully about what had just transpired. He knew he wanted to ask a whole series of questions. But having just been proven his extreme skepticism to be just as much of a weakness as it was a strength, he was in no mood to deal with the situation any further at the moment.

"Wow, wow," the shape shifter said breathing a sigh of relief. He had expected things to go so much worse. And maybe it would have if nobody else had been there on his side. But it was not the time to think about what could have happened. It was time to celebrate with one of his favorite pastimes: lying on the sofa, watching a movie marathon, and doing nothing unless it was vitally important.

At the same time the changeling was putting in his first movie, the Tameranean pulled Raven off to the side for a conversation similar to the ones they had shared in the past. Only this time the emphasis would be put on asking why she felt so ashamed for finally having the boy of her dreams. Was she always going to have a certain amount of guilt to deal with? Did she need to find her own away to deal with the problem since she seemed to be the only one suffering? Could she do anything to relieve some of the pain? Or was the only cure time and effort? Just some quick advice was all she wanted, wise words to help her on her way.

"Ok Kori, what's bothering you?" the dark sorceress ask, the volume of the television keeping their discussion private.

"I have been feeling quite troubled. You have always been so kind to me yet cannot experience the same happiness I feel when I am with Richard," the alien princess confessed.

"I don't feel this is a time to talk about my personal life," the half-demon stated. "However, I need you to understand there is nothing you should feel concerned about. Focus on Richard. Making sure you work out your relationship with him is far more important."

"I wish to know how to follow your advice. It is much more difficult than it sounds."

"Sometimes nothing is what it seems to be," the dark sorceress answered, implying that the princess would have to find the best way on her own.

"Yes, you are right. I must do my best for myself and for Richard. I will still pray that you will find someone to love you, friend. You are most deserving," the alien princess said hugging her friend.

Fighting back the urge to say something about how her personal life was much better than the team thought, Raven convinced herself that telling the Tameranean to fight through the pain with Robin would be more beneficial. The more time the two titans spent helping each other, the stronger their bond would be. If it ended up backfiring, then the whole relationship was never meant to be. In the simplest terms, it was one of the first major tests the boy wonder would have to deal with. Either he was able to carry his girlfriend through a trying time or he allowed the princess to find someone else that could.

Excusing herself so she could get some mediation in before dinner, the dark sorceress looked over her shoulder and caught a quick smile of gratitude from her Beast Boy. And if Starfire hadn't been distracted for that faction of a second, she would have known that her prayers had already been answered. Fate, it seemed, had other plans.


End file.
